On Pale Wings I Fly
by Krin Dreamweaver
Summary: Sequel to The Wayside.
1. Holiday Cheer

**Standard disclaimer**  
** This is a work of fiction, any resemblance to real people or  
**places is either coincidental or used in the pursuit of literary  
**reality. Many of the characters and concepts embodied in this  
**work are the property of AIC, Pioneer, and probably other   
**Japanese people, all of whom are richer than I. Please do not   
**sue me.  
**//Standard disclaimer**  
**Author note thingum**  
** This is the third work in a series begun with 'Birthday   
**Wishes', my first fanfiction. 'On Pale Wings I Fly' is a   
**story set in that universe and takes place some time after the   
**events of 'The Wayside' which is, itself, the sequel to   
**'Birthday Wishes.'  
** Continuity wise, Pale Wings is set in the OAV universe,  
**plus 'Birthday Wishes' and 'The Wayside.' Like my two year  
**temporal shift at the beginning of the series I have taken a   
**couple of liberties here. Kiyone never appeared in the OAV   
**series (I do not consider MnE or the Mihoshi Special parts of   
**it so much as side stories, rather like my own) and so we   
**cannot say how she would have behaved in that universe. The   
**Kiyone I portray looks the same as the other Kiyone and   
**occupies a similar position in the universal order of things,   
**but please do not expect her personality to match that of the   
**TV Kiyone or the Shin Kiyone. Kiyone is her own woman and   
**that is especially true here. I also make mention  
**of an incident which occurred in the TV continuity here. It is   
**not, I feel, a scene which was out of character for the   
**participants in their OAV incarnations, and I see no reason it   
**could not have occurred as easily in that universe.  
** Before you ask, yes there will be another story following this   
**one.  
**-- Krin (krin@hotmail.com)  
**/Author note thingum**  
  
  
On Pale Wings I Fly  
  
  
for Ivy and Dan, you know who you are and what you do  
  
  
-- one --  
holiday cheer  
  
Aeka stood on the dock, a chill winter wind tugging her long   
purple hair around her shoulders and across her face. The scent   
of woodsmoke was sharp in the crisp air, a smell Aeka once found   
repulsive but was now somehow welcoming. As the final glowing   
traces of her teleportation from the Jurain transport ship that   
she knew would now be leaving orbit faded Aeka wondered at how   
good it felt to be back here. She had gone to Jurai to search for   
herself, but every hour Aeka spent wandering the wide, peaceful   
corridors of the royal palace and the quietly busy streets of the   
surrounding city she found herself dreaming more and more of   
returning here, to Earth. To Okayama. To her home.  
  
Aeka delicately brushed her hair back from her eyes with a   
finger and looked around, wondering where everyone could be. She   
had called ahead to Washuu's lab to let them know she was coming,   
so had expected they would be out here waiting for her, or at   
least have come out to greet her once she arrived. As the last   
vestiges of the disorientation Aeka always experienced after   
teleportation dissolved she scolded herself for the selfishness of   
her thoughts. *It's the middle of winter, they're probably all   
inside waiting for me to come in like a sensible person. What was   
I thinking? That they would have waited out here all the weeks I   
was away so they could be standing in the same places I left   
them?* Aeka shook her head and started across the weathered   
timbers of the dock, lifting the hem of her dress to keep it from   
being snagged by any errant splinters.   
  
Aeka looked up at the distant sound of a closing door when it   
reached her ears, carried on the winter wind. She had been   
carefully navigating the maze of wet patches left by a recently   
melted snowfall and so not noticed the figure opening and stepping   
through the front door. When she looked up Aeka was momentarily   
disappointed. It was not her family as she hoped, and every   
moment that they were not there Aeka's resolve shrank. She had   
prepared the explanation she planned to give them for weeks, but   
it would be a hard thing to do and she wanted it done before she   
lost her nerve. Aeka's momentary disappointment was dashed away   
by curiosity as she watched the distant figure turn from the door   
and start forward. *Who?* Aeka squinted, her journey toward the   
house halted as she focused her attention on the advancing figure   
rather than the somewhat precarious, for slippered feet anyway,   
ground around her. *Has Tenchi attracted More women since I   
left?* Aeka wondered incredulously. The approaching figure was   
obviously female, clad in a soft pink shirt and blue jeans that   
hugged the slender curve of her legs. There was something odd   
about the way she walked, but Aeka was too distracted by the   
unexpected surprise of being greeted by a stranger to notice.   
  
*I can't believe that Tenchi would have invited another woman   
to live here after he and Ryouko-* Aeka's train of thought was   
neatly derailed as the distance between herself and the young   
woman diminished. *No,* Aeka thought amidst a confused welter of   
sudden emotions, *Oh no, it can't be...* Aeka's denials grew   
stronger but less effective with each step the young woman took.   
Her hair, a greenish shade of blue, was so hauntingly familiar.   
The light dusting of freckles across her nose. Her eyes. Her   
big, round, pink eyes that were firmly fixed on the ground as she   
slowly approached the stunned princess.  
  
"Sa.. Sasami?" Aeka stuttered. The apparition did not   
respond, only halted her approach a few meters from where Aeka   
stood frozen in confusion. The young woman folded her hands in   
front of her, still staring at the ground, and seemingly   
unconsciously hunched slightly forward as though trying to make   
herself shorter. *It can't be,* Aeka thought frantically, *She's   
not old enough! By the trees, she's still only twelve! She   
should have months to go before it even begins!*   
  
Aeka stared at the woman standing silently before her.   
Reality seemed obstinately unwilling to alter itself to meet the   
demands of denial her scattered thoughts attempted to impose and   
gradually facts won out over shock. Only twelve she might be, but   
Sasami had very obviously not only begun her first Change, but by   
the look of things already finished it as well. *And I missed   
it,* Aeka thought with mounting despair, *One of the most   
important moments in my sister's life and I've missed it. She's   
had her Change early and I wasn't here. Oh Tsunami, is she   
crying?*  
  
The young woman with Sasami's features hadn't moved an inch   
since coming to a halt, only her long blue-green hair stirred as   
it was whipped in gentle waves by the same breeze that tugged at   
Aeka's tresses. Now a few stray strands stuck to her face, caught   
in the shining trails of silent tears. Aeka searched for   
something to say, some way to respond to this strange and terrible   
situation. There was only one thing that came to mind, a phrase   
etched deep in her psyche by a lifetime of hearing it said around   
her.  
  
"Jan wa he Sasami monosuat," Aeka said gently. The words   
were ancient, a litany passed down through the females of Jurai   
for longer than all recorded history. No one knew what they meant   
anymore, no one had known in a long, long time. They were simply   
the words to be spoken upon meeting a female loved one who had   
entered her first Change, words that had been spoken in that   
situation since before the first stone of the Great City was laid.   
Some said they went back even before the trees, to days when   
Jurains still stared up at the stars in the night sky and wondered   
what they could be. It was said that words from those times had   
power, that speaking that particular phrase started the young   
woman on her journey and eased the way of passage. Aeka's heart   
ached that she had not been there to speak the words at the proper   
time, when Sasami had first entered her Change. That she could   
speak them only now, when her sister had already completed her   
first transformation, tore at her emotions and threatened to bring   
tears to her eyes.  
  
*She must have known,* Aeka realized, *It must have begun   
even before I left for Jurai. Why didn't she say anything then?*  
  
*Because I would have stayed,* Aeka answered herself almost   
immediately, *If she had told me I would have stayed to be with   
her, and Sasami wanted me to go back to Jurai and do what I felt I   
needed to do. The poor girl, she must have been so afraid and   
confused without her family around her.*  
  
*But her family was here,* Aeka's grief lessened by a tiny   
fraction at the realization, *Tenchi and Ryouko were there, Washuu   
and Mihoshi, Father and Grandfather, little Ryou-ohki... But I   
missed it.*  
  
Sasami had finally looked up and was now staring at her   
silent sister. "Hi Aeka," she said in a tiny voice. Aeka was   
startled anew by the strangeness of her sister's voice, familiar   
despite being shifted with maturity, coming from the mouth of a   
woman who was, for all appearances, at least six years older than   
the girl she had left behind.   
  
"Sasami?" Aeka stepped forward and took the young woman's   
hands, "Why are you crying Sasami? Aren't you glad I'm back?"  
  
Sasami shook her head and held tightly to Aeka's hands,   
looking back down at the ground as she replied, "It's not that. I   
missed you Aeka, a whole lot. But I was scared you'd be mad   
'cause I..." Sasami's voice failed as her tears began to flow   
more quickly. She stuttered syllables between the sobs that   
overtook her, but couldn't get out so much as another word.  
  
Aeka stepped closer, putting her arms around her sister and   
hugging her tightly. It was strange holding Sasami the way she   
had so often before, but resting her sister's head against her   
shoulder rather than her chest. Sasami was actually taller than   
her older sister now, but threw her arms around Aeka in exactly   
the manner she had all her life. She abandoned her attempts at   
speech and cried into her sister's shoulder as Aeka patted her   
back and whispered in her ear, "I'm not mad Sasami, I'm not mad.   
How could I be? Look at you, you've grown so big and you're so   
beautiful. How could I be mad?"  
  
Sasami pulled her head away from Aeka's shoulder and sniffed   
loudly, wiping tears from her eyes only to have fresh ones take   
their place. "Y..ya..you really think I'm p..puh..pretty, Aeka?"  
  
Aeka nodded enthusiastically through the tears now blurring   
her own eyes, "Very pretty. Why, if you looked like this a few   
years ago Ryouko and I wouldn't have had a chance with Tenchi."  
  
Sasami giggled through her tears and any doubts Aeka may have   
held were banished. Whatever had happened, this was her sister.   
This beautiful young woman was Sasami.  
  
Aeka wiped her own eyes and, curiosity overcoming her   
emotions, asked, "But how did it happen, Sasami? Did we get the   
math wrong when I converted your birthday to Earth months?"  
  
Sasami sniffed one final time and shook her head. "Huh uh,   
you were right. But we'd better go inside. I made everybody wait   
in there while I came out here by myself and they'll get upset if   
we make them wait too long."  
  
* * *  
  
"But I still don't understand, Miss Washuu. What do   
pheromones and neuro-whatevers have to do with Sasami?"  
  
Washuu had tried explaining how her sister's transformation   
could have come over a half a year early twice now, but both   
times Aeka only stared blankly as the scientist rambled on about   
circadian rhythms and meta-cognitive psycho-distortion patterns.   
This time Washuu sighed dramatically and threw her hands up in   
surrender.  
  
"Okay, I give up! Sasami had her Change early because she's   
on Earth. Humans begin having growth spurts anywhere between   
twelve and fourteen years old and Sasami's body reacted to the   
people around her. If she weren't from Jurai she would only have   
grown a few centimeters since you left, but her altered   
biochemistry initiated the first cycle of her Change instead. Her   
glands started producing hormones that-" Washuu stopped when   
Aeka's eyes began to cloud over once more. The genius took a deep   
breath before starting in again.  
  
"When Sasami started puberty she had it all at once, like any   
Jurain would during their first Change. She just had it early   
because she's on Earth."  
  
"Oh," Aeka said thoughtfully, "I suppose that makes sense."  
  
Washuu buried her face in her hands and muttered something   
about people who like to assume chickens are spheres to make the   
math easier. Aeka had hoped the scientist would be easier to deal   
with now that she had apparently assumed her older body   
permanently, but whether in the body of a twelve year old or that   
of a woman in her third decade, Washuu was Washuu.  
  
"Oh my," Aeka gasped as a sudden realization struck her, "But   
Sasami hasn't had any of her lessons yet. We wouldn't have even   
started preparing them for months. How can she be dealing with   
all of this without having had them?"  
  
"Well," Washuu said, looking back up at the princess, "I   
don't know exactly what goes into those 'etiquette lessons'   
everyone gets on Jurai at their first Change, and Sasami wasn't   
very clear on it either..."  
  
"Of course not," Aeka said reproachfully, "It would be   
improper to tell a child about them."  
  
Washuu harrumphed and continued, "So I did my best anyway. I   
know you Jurains have a whole ceremony for it, but all I could do   
was give Sasami some pain blockers when the accelerated growth   
really kicked in, and afterward I explained about menstrual cycles   
and gave her the injection." Washuu shook her head, a look of   
mild scorn in her eyes, "I couldn't believe a child from a   
civilized society wouldn't know about that, but Sasami had no   
idea."  
  
Aeka looked puzzled and said, "Children don't need to know   
until their first Change. It's all covered in the lessons. I do   
hope you didn't give her any strange ideas Miss Washuu."  
  
"I just gave her the facts," Washuu grinned, "What she does   
with those is up to her."  
  
"You said something about an injection? What do you mean?"  
  
"Oh, you know," Washuu looked relieved to be back on   
technical ground, "The usual. After her menarche I gave her the   
prophylactic injection. If she ever wants to have children she   
just needs to go get the injection to have her cycle re-  
initiated..." Washuu trailed off at the look on Aeka's face.   
"Whaaat? Don't tell me they don't do that on Jurai? I thought a   
Jurain invented the thing."  
  
Aeka shook her head, "Of course we have it on Jurai. But you   
said you explained it to her, you don't mean to say that you   
talked to Sasami about... About..."  
  
Washuu cackled wildly, grasping her sides and nearly falling   
backwards off of her floating cushion onto the floor of the   
section of her lab where they both sat. Aeka fumed until Washuu   
brought herself back under control and, wiping her eyes, gasped,   
"I'm sorry Aeka, but the look on your face... No, I didn't have   
That talk with Sasami. I only explained the aspects dealing with   
her period, even I know not to cross certain lines."  
  
Aeka smiled weakly and gave an inward sigh of relief. Washuu   
was her friend, a part of her extended family here on Earth, but   
she did not even want to imagine the sorts of strange notions   
Sasami may have wound up with had Washuu explained sex to her.   
Aeka repressed a shudder and thanked the trees that she hadn't   
been too late for Everything. She decided to order the lessons   
prepared and sent from Jurai as soon as possible. With Washuu and   
Ryouko around it was only a matter of time...  
  
Aeka dispelled the thoughts and smiled at Washuu. Whatever   
faults the scientist might have, she was Aeka's friend and it had   
been a long while since she was in any condition to talk to her.   
"So what has happened since I left? I was in such a hurry to find   
out what had happened to Sasami that I barely said a word to the   
others."  
  
"Well, lets see..." Washuu pulled her legs up to sit cross-  
legged on her floating pillow and looked thoughtful.   
  
"Mihoshi finally came back from that patrol of hers that kept   
getting extended and I should have Yukinojo back in flying   
condition in another few days. She missed the lake this time."   
Washuu rolled her eyes before continuing, "Nobuyuki's firm got a   
contract to design a new office building in Osaka, so he's been   
out more than in all month. Ryou-ohki is up to one-hundred-  
fifteen characters that she can read now, she only knew eighty   
when you left." The pride in Washuu's tone was obvious. Aeka   
tried to decide if it was pride in the flexibility of her   
creation, or simply the pride of a mother for her.. well, not   
daughter exactly... Aeka gave up, whatever their relationship   
was, it was the emotion that counted.  
  
"Tenchi and Ryouko found an apartment in Tokyo, they went and   
stayed there all last week to get to know the neighborhood so it   
won't all be new when their classes start in January." Washuu   
paused and gave the princess a calculating look that Aeka assumed   
was an attempt to gauge her reaction to the news.  
  
"I'm glad," Aeka finally said quietly into the growing   
silence, "Ryouko was very excited about that. Is it a nice   
apartment?"  
  
Washuu continued to give her a probing stare for a few   
seconds longer, then grinned and nodded. "Lord Katsuhito says   
they're really lucky to have found such a big place in Tokyo at   
such an affordable price. And it's only a few miles from the   
campus."  
  
Aeka smiled and made a mental note to remember to tell Tenchi   
about the money. During her stay on Jurai Aeka discovered that   
the crown had been setting aside an allowance for Yousho every   
year for the seven centuries he had been gone. Knowing that   
Tenchi's grandfather would not be willing to claim it she inquired   
with the royal clerks and discovered that Tenchi qualified to have   
the money awarded him as Yousho's sole heir. Aeka planned to   
present it to him on Christmas, but if he was going to be paying   
rent and such now it was especially important. "Did anything else   
exciting happen while I was away?"  
  
Washuu scratched her chin and peered up at the ceiling. "No,   
I think that's pretty much it. With you away and Tenchi and   
Ryouko out of the house it's been pretty quiet. How was your   
trip?"  
  
"It went well, but if you don't mind Miss Washuu, I'd like to   
tell everyone about it at once."  
  
* * *  
  
"Hand me the new box of lights, Tenchi!"  
  
"Another year," Tenchi thought as he bent over to fish the   
brightly-decorated box from within the larger box of decorations,   
"Another box of lights." Every year his father bought one box of   
outdoor lights and added it to the growing mound of tangled wires   
that was relegated to a corner of the attic for all but this one   
season. Tenchi's eyes roved over the massed jumble of glass and   
plastic as he stripped away the packaging and passed one end of   
the string up to his father where Nobuyuki perched atop a ladder   
over the front door. *I wonder which of these is from the last   
year we had Christmas with Mom,* Tenchi wondered as he picked   
through the pile, trying to separate one strand from another,   
*Would dad even know? Other than that some of them are the old   
kind, with the big bulbs, they all look the same...* Something   
about that saddened Tenchi, besides thoughts of his mother's   
death, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what. So instead   
he tried to push it out of his mind and concentrate on untangling   
the horribly complex knot into which the lights had somehow tied   
themselves during the summer months, listening to the steady   
whunk-whunk of his father's staplegun tacking the lights into   
place.  
  
When Tenchi felt the tiny ripple in the field of energy   
surrounding his body he remained carefully still, continuing to   
pry at the knot of Christmas lights with fingers too numb from the   
cold to be doing much good in the task. He waited until her   
fingers were close enough to brush the hairs on the back of his   
neck before saying quietly, "Hi, Ryouko."  
  
"How do you Do that?!" Ryouko sounded frustrated but amused   
as she knelt beside him, carefully balancing three steaming mugs   
in one hand. "I used to be able to sneak up on you, but now you   
always know I'm there. It's not fair."  
  
Tenchi smiled at her, taking one of the mugs and sipping   
carefully before shrugging and saying, "My heart cries when you're   
away and sings when you're near, I just listen for the song."  
  
Ryouko blushed but continued staring into his eyes. "Listen   
to you," she remarked teasingly, "Getting all poetic on me. Keep   
that up and you'll end up like your grandfather."  
  
Now Tenchi took his turn at blushing before managing to   
reply, "Guess it comes naturally when you've got the right   
inspiration." He leaned forward and kissed her briefly before   
rising to his feet, cocoa and a freshly excavated string of lights   
in hand. "Come on down, Dad. Ryouko brought us hot cocoa, let me   
take a turn at it while you're drinking."  
  
  
Nobuyuki traded his staple gun for one of the steaming mugs.   
"Thanks Ryouko, I always knew you'd make a good, thoughtful wife   
for my Tenchi. And cute too!"  
  
Ryouko chuckled. Noboyuki had changed in the months since   
Tenchi's birthday, they all had, but he still had his moments.   
Somehow by watching his son's evolving relationship with Ryouko   
Noboyuki had found whatever it was he had spent years reaching out   
for. He was still hentai as anything at times, but Noboyuki was a   
calmer man now and Tenchi seemed more willing to spend time with   
his father. Last weekend they had even played golf together.   
Tenchi told Ryouko later that it would be both the first and last   
time at that particular activity, but she suspected it was more   
because they were both appallingly bad at it than any conflict   
between them.   
  
*If I had known that giving Tenchi my gems could change so   
many things...* But Ryouko knew that even had she the power to go   
back in time, she would not have given Tenchi the necklace a   
moment sooner. She had no idea how things might have turned out   
had Tenchi fallen in love with her a year earlier, two years   
earlier, or a day earlier but it would have been different, and   
Ryouko was sufficiently happy with how her life was going now that   
she had not the least desire to change it. Last week, living   
alone with Tenchi in the apartment in Tokyo, had been like heaven.   
They went out every day, shopping for furniture and household   
items, and spent each evening over quiet dinners together. Most   
of Ryouko's fantasies about life with Tenchi had centered around   
how he would finally tell her he loved her, occasionally expanding   
to her taking him off on a whirlwind tour of the universe and a   
few cherished dreams of her hoped for wedding day. She had never   
considered what ordinary, day-to-day life with Tenchi at her side   
would be like, but the reality of it was wonderful. Being with   
him made things that she would have considered mind-numbingly   
boring seem like fun. They spent hours one day picking out   
flatware, an activity Ryouko would have cringed at a few months   
ago but now thought back on warmly.   
  
Ryouko turned to watch Tenchi climbing the ladder, mug and   
stapler in one hand, strand of lights held in his teeth, and knew   
that no matter where life took them, no matter what turns fate had   
in store, she could be happy so long as he was with her.  
  
Ryouko phased out from the ground where she stood,   
momentarily startling Nobuyuki, and reappeared floating beside the   
ladder as Tenchi climbed. She had half expected him to jump when   
she did it, but he only turned his head and smiled around the   
Christmas lights. It was almost eerie the way he seemed to know   
she was coming. But she didn't think he would have been startled   
even without whatever method of foretelling her approach he had.   
Even Washuu had been unable to fluster Tenchi in weeks, and after   
his comment about being immune to her surprises she had certainly   
tried. Her Tenchi had gained more confidence than just in matters   
of the heart over the time since his birthday. It had happened so   
slowly and naturally that Ryouko didn't even notice the change   
until her own birthday.   
  
  
Nobody had been much in the mood to party, what with Aeka   
stumbling around the house, barely alive even after finally   
finding the will to eat and drink away from Washuu's machines   
again. Tenchi went into town and bought her a cake and a bottle   
of her favorite sake and they went up the mountain to the little   
clearing where they had had that first picnic.   
  
This time there was the bite of coming winter in the air   
rather than the lush warmth of summer, but it had been a beautiful   
day none the less. They ate the cake and drank some of the sake,   
Tenchi was more willing these days but still not much of a drinker   
and Ryouko found herself growing less attracted to the drink as   
she grew closer to Tenchi. Afterward they went for a walk in the   
woods and when Tenchi kissed her Ryouko teleported up into a tree   
to tease him. She wasn't sure now why she did it, but assumed she   
must have had a bit more sake than she intended since it had   
seemed a good idea at the time. It had been raining the previous   
night and there was a large patch of moss still damp on the branch   
Ryouko chose as her perch. When her foot twisted and slipped she   
fell, too disoriented by the combined effects of alcohol and   
teleportation to simply stop herself in midair. Tenchi caught   
her, cradling her in his arms and asking if she was okay.   
  
In that moment, looking up at the concern and love in his   
face, feeling herself supported in his strong, caring arms, Ryouko   
realized just how much Tenchi had changed. Once upon a time she   
felt like she needed to defend him from the world, like she could   
hold back danger and pain at the point of her energy sword and   
keep them away from her Tenchi. But that day she realized it   
wasn't true anymore. She didn't feel the need to protect him   
anymore, and in that moment she realized that more than anything   
she wanted him to protect her. She had spent thousands of years   
amidst danger and strife, all of it against her wishes and nearly   
every memory from that time a bad one. Staring up into her   
lover's eyes Ryouko knew that she didn't want to hold a sword   
anymore. She would still fight to defend him if the situation   
called for it, but now she wanted to be the one being protected.   
And in Tenchi's caring eyes she saw the strength to do it,   
strength she herself had never even suspected he had.  
  
  
Tenchi set his mug down on the top step of the ladder and   
leaned over to begin stapling his string of lights in place.  
  
"I'll hold that for you, Tenchi," Ryouko said, taking the   
mug when he had to adjust his position to avoid knocking it over.   
"Do you remember what I said that one time, about drinking from   
the same container?" Ryouko asked it in an innocent tone and   
Tenchi looked at her over his extended arms, one eyebrow cocked in   
askance.  
  
"You don't remember?" She asked coyly, flashing him a look   
of mock reproach, "I said it's almost like kissing..." Ryouko   
took a tiny sip from Tenchi's mug and then, staring into his eyes,   
ran the tip of her tongue in a circle around the cup's rim.  
  
"Wouldn't you rather just kiss me?" Tenchi asked in   
amusement, continuing to work with the string of lights which   
seemed particularly reluctant to stay attached to the house.  
  
"Mmm," Ryouko agreed, "But you're busy. So I just have this   
mug to keep me company." She set her own mug down on a windowsill   
and dipped her finger in the cooling chocolate. Gazing intently   
at Tenchi Ryouko brought her finger to her lips and sucked it in   
before drawing it slowly back out, giving the nail a flick with   
the tip of her tongue after it had exited her mouth. Tenchi   
shifted on the ladder, finding it increasingly difficult to   
simultaneously hold his balance, avoid sending a staple into his   
hand, and keep his eyes on Ryouko where she had so efficiently   
riveted them.  
  
Ryouko tipped the mug back, draining the contents in one   
swallow. She smiled seductively and licked her lips before   
closing her eyes and rubbing her stomach. "Mmmm," Ryouko said in   
a voice that was almost a moan, "I love cocoa on cold days. It   
makes me so.." She opened her eyes and drifted closer to whisper   
in Tenchi's ear, "..Warm."  
  
Tenchi gave up on the lights, setting the stapler down on the   
ladder and letting the string hang. "Ryouko, my dad's right down   
there..."  
  
Ryouko glanced to the side before grinning and saying, "He's   
busy with the lights."  
  
"Oh," Tenchi grinned back and put one arm around her waist,   
leaning against the wall for support. "Then don't you mean hot?"  
  
Ryouko looked momentarily puzzled, then remembered what she   
had been saying before being interrupted by Tenchi's short-lived   
protest. "Huh uh, it's just chocolate. Now you on the other   
hand," Ryouko tugged lightly at Tenchi's shirt and bit his   
earlobe gently before whispering, "You make me hot."  
  
"Ryouko! Tenchi!"  
  
The two lovers looked down just in time to see Mihoshi   
opening the front door.  
  
"Mihoshi!" Ryouko and Tenchi shouted together, "No!" But it   
was too late, the policewoman continued outward, pushing the   
ladder away from the house and sending it falling, off balance, in   
the other direction.  
  
Ryouko had her arms around Tenchi and was preparing to   
teleport them to safety when she found herself on the ground,   
still holding him. She looked around in confusion as the ladder   
completed its descent and clattered noisily on the frozen ground,   
the staple gun skittering wildly across the lawn as the impact   
jarred its trigger.  
  
"Thanks Ryouko," Tenchi said while smiling gratefully at   
her, "That would have hurt."  
  
Ryouko furrowed her brow and shook her head saying, "But I   
didn't..."  
  
"Oops!" Mihoshi came running across the grass, followed by   
Noboyuki as he rose from the box of lights. "I'm so sorry, I   
didn't know it was there! Are you okay?"  
  
Tenchi nodded and stood, helping Ryouko to her feet. "I'm   
alright, Ryouko teleported us out before we hit the ground."  
  
Ryouko bit her lip but remained silent. She wasn't sure what   
had happened, but knew that now was probably not a good time to   
figure it out. They had moved from mid- air to resting on the   
ground, and she knew she had not been the one to do it. It   
obviously had not been Mihoshi, and there was no way for Nobuyuki   
to have accomplished such a thing...  
  
Ryouko smiled and nodded in agreement with Tenchi's   
statement. "We're okay Mihoshi."  
  
"I'm so sorry, can you ever forgive me?"  
  
"Of course Mihoshi," Tenchi smiled gently at the young   
woman. "It was an accident."  
  
Mihoshi sighed. "I wish I weren't so clumsy all the time."  
  
"It's not your fault Mihoshi, you didn't know the ladder was   
there." Ryouko wondered at Mihoshi's reaction, the police woman   
didn't seem her usual, bouncy self today. "So what's up? You   
sounded like you were looking for us."  
  
"Oh!" Mihoshi smiled, banishing some of Ryouko's concern,   
"Miss Washuu and Grandfather are out back with the tree and they   
said to come get you so you could help get it inside."  
  
Tenchi nodded and took Ryouko's hand as they stood. "Come on   
Dad, lets go help with the tree."  
  
Nobuyuki patted his son on the shoulder but shook his head,   
"You three go on. I'm going to keep working on this." He looked   
down at a string of lights in his hand, the old style kind with   
the big, fat bulbs that got hot if you left it on long. Tenchi   
noticed that the string seemed predominantly blue as his father   
turned away, heading for the fallen ladder. *Mom's favorite   
color... Maybe he does remember.*  
  
* * *  
  
Aeka watched the winking lights of the Christmas tree for   
long moments in silence. She had gathered all her family around   
her to tell the story of her visit to Jurai, but now that the   
moment had arrived she realized she did not even know where to   
begin. Finally she took a tiny sip from the warm cup of sake in   
her hand, they all had one, except Sasami. It had been a long but   
satisfying day, decorating the house for the coming holiday, and   
when Aeka called everyone into the darkened livingroom around the   
glowing tree it seemed a good excuse to relax.  
  
"When I left here for Jurai," Aeka began slowly, "I was very   
confused. On the one hand, I love you all dearly and you have   
become my family over the years we have spent together. On the   
other hand, I am of the royal house of Jurai, separated by   
tradition from most of the universe. I am Aeka, a woman as in   
need of friends and companionship as any. But at the same time I   
am the crown princess of an empire that spans the galaxy and can   
have no favorites among my subjects.   
  
"When you told me that you were in love with Ryouko, Tenchi,   
I was shattered. For most of my life I searched for my lost love.   
It was the quest of a woman, not a princess. In that time I fear   
that I forgot that other part of my life almost entirely and   
losing my love once more broke the woman I had become in two.   
I... I tried to kill myself that night, out beneath Funaho's   
branches." Aeka waited for the startled gasps to subside before   
continuing, "I do not know by what agency my life was spared.   
Perhaps my kimono broke under the strain, perhaps I cut myself   
down at the last moment but have buried the memory. In a dream   
Yousho came to me..."   
  
Aeka looked at Katsuhito who only shook his head, saying,   
"I'm an old man, Aeka. I do not go running about people's dreams   
at night."  
  
Aeka chuckled and continued on once more, "The Yousho in my   
dream was young, the prince who left me all those centuries ago.   
He told me that Tenchi loved me still, if not in the way I had   
hoped. I didn't believe it then, I thought that if you didn't   
love me as your future wife, Tenchi, then you must not love me at   
all. I was so desperate for contact, so in need of companionship,   
that when I saw.. saw Shiko in the kitchen that day I clung to him   
like a life raft on a stormy sea. Even when he.. when he hit me,   
I was so desperate to not be alone again that I convinced myself I   
deserved it. When he was gone I lost my only connection, however   
twisted and flawed, to reality. I fell into a dark hole and saw   
no way to crawl back out, could not even find a reason to try.  
  
"When I finally began to claw my way back out it was not for   
love, but for duty. I realized that no matter my own trials, the   
people of Jurai needed me. I felt like you had betrayed me,   
Tenchi, and you too Ryouko. Like everyone I cared for had turned   
against me. Even Yousho, my dear brother, had in some way   
prevented me from taking the escape I so desired. So when I found   
my way back to life, it was as a princess and not a woman. Only   
by pushing away my own feelings, viewing them from atop the throne   
of Jurai, was I able to slowly separate them and deal with them.   
I returned to Jurai in confusion, knowing that I had to live for   
the empire, but with little will to do so as a woman. I came to   
realize that you had not turned against me, that you were my   
family and had acted only out of compassion for me, but I still   
felt so lost and alone...   
  
"So I went to Jurai, hoping that there I could see the people   
for whom I was now living. I hoped that I could find reason to go   
on in their faces when I could not seem to find it in my own   
desires. When I arrived, though, I did not find what I had hoped   
to. Jurai was not the idyllic wonderland I had built in my   
memories. It was a harsh world, every bit as cruel and uncaring   
as Earth, in its way. I saw my parents, growing old before their   
times with the pressure of rulership. The holy council exists as   
little more than a figurehead by its own wishes, all the decisions   
are left up to my father and mothers. I saw bigotry in the way   
that the royal families looked down on citizens of the empire, and   
the way that even citizens looked down on one another based on how   
close they could come to tracing their blood back to the trees. I   
realized that the Jurai of my dreams, the one of happy citizens   
who I could keep happy by taking my place on the throne when my   
time comes, doesn't exist. Jurai is a wonderful world and I will   
love it all my life, the trees sing in my blood and I cannot look   
upon the Great City without feeling a pang in my heart, but there   
are no wonderlands. I realized that my life could not be a simple   
shell, a placeholder until I am old enough to pass on the throne   
to another. This is a hard world we live in and if we are to   
exist in it we have to find our own happiness, not exist solely   
for that of another, or a trillion others. So I prayed with the   
trees and, slowly, I came to realize that my happiness was here.   
Where I had before thought that you all, my family, were merely a   
part of my life as princess, I discovered that it was the other   
way entirely. My family Is my life, you are my existence and it   
is my role as princess which is secondary. Heir apparent to the   
throne of Jurai is my title and my job, but my family is who I am.  
  
"And now," Aeka's voice softened as she drew to the end of   
her story, "I've come back to my family and my home, and once more   
discover the things I failed to realize before. It seems I must   
be constantly in flux, moving from one side of my life to the   
other and only upon reaching my destination realize what I was   
leaving behind. I have my reasons for living now, I can go on and   
I can find happiness and know that always I will have people whom   
I love and who love me back to return to and share it with, but I   
think that my goals must lie on Jurai. The things I saw, the   
prejudice and the injustice, pain me like knives driven into my   
heart. I do not know how I can begin to mend the wounds of a   
world, but I think I need to try. These feelings are all very new   
and I'm afraid I have not explained them well, but I hope that you   
understand."  
  
"I think I do," Tenchi said slowly when no one else seemed   
ready to respond, "But what will you do? Are you going to go back   
to Jurai permanently?"  
  
Aeka smiled and shook her head, saying, "No, this is my home.   
I have work to do on Jurai and I'm afraid I will need to spend a   
lot of time at it, but this will always be where I come when the   
work day is done. Miss Washuu tells me that she can, in time,   
create a portal between my two worlds so that I may live in both.   
I think that after the holidays are done I will return to Jurai   
for a time and try to find a starting place in my work. You and   
Ryouko will be in school for the spring and I was hoping that   
perhaps we could gather here once more come summer. By then Miss   
Washuu assures me that her device will be ready, and it will give   
me time to find my way once more in the politics of Jurai."  
  
"You're going away again Aeka?" Sasami's voice trembled as   
she asked, "But you just got back, and if you leave now and don't   
come back 'till summertime that'll be months and months and I'll   
miss you..."  
  
"It is a long time, Sasami," Aeka replied gently, "But I was   
thinking that perhaps you would come with me. Father and our   
mothers are very upset at having missed your Change, when I called   
to have your lessons prepared they told me that it tested the   
limits of their restraint not to simply drop everything and come   
here to be with you. Unfortunately the situation on Jurai is   
delicate right now, something very complicated between a few of   
the sectors that I didn't have time to understand during my visit,   
and they simply can't leave it behind. That is exactly the sort   
of thing I want to put to rights, it is horribly unfair that   
parents can't be with their child at a time like this and if   
Jurain government had a proper infrastructure there would be no   
such problem."  
  
While her sister talked Sasami grew increasingly agitated.   
Finally she looked desperately at Tenchi and Ryouko, who looked at   
one another and nodded back at the young princess in unison.   
"Aeka," Tenchi began, "There's something Sasami has wanted me to   
ask you, but I thought it could wait since you were back now..."  
  
"What is it, Tenchi?" Aeka looked between her sister and   
Tenchi, both of whom looked very uncomfortable. "You should know   
you can ask me anything, what is it?"  
  
"Well," Tenchi scratched his neck, searching for a way to   
ask the question he knew Sasami was counting on him to ask in her   
place, "Sasami told us a few weeks ago that she wanted to come to   
Tokyo with us in January and enroll in highschool. She looks old   
enough now, and she wants to make some new friends. We didn't   
know you were going to be returning to Jurai so soon or I would   
have said no, but now she has her hopes up and..."  
  
Aeka looked at her sister in confusion, "But you can make   
friends on Jurai too, Sasami. Don't you want to go back to the   
palace and see everyone?"  
  
Sasami looked back and forth between Tenchi and her sister   
while everyone else in the room looked around uncomfortably for   
something to focus their attention on during what was quickly   
becoming what seemed to be a private conversation.  
  
"I miss Mommy Misaki and Mommy Funaho and Daddy lots,"   
Sasami finally answered, her voice quavering with emotion and her   
eyes lowered, unable to meet those of her sister, "But if I go   
back I'll miss Tenchi and Ryouko and Washuu and everybody too.   
And all the girls on Jurai that I tried to make friends with just   
wanted me to get Daddy to do favors for their families, nobody   
really wanted to be my friend. That's why I always spent all my   
time with animals, they never wanted me to do stuff for them   
except maybe get them something to eat. I thought you'd be back   
here by the time school started and maybe I could just go from   
here to Tokyo by portal every day and then I could be with   
everybody and make friends and everything, but if you're going   
away I don't know what to do..."  
  
Aeka's heart lurched as her sister slipped further and   
further into confused misery. Here she was trying to force the   
poor girl to choose between one part of her family and another   
right after she had finished saying how important her home here on   
Earth was. And despite her new appearance, Sasami was still just   
Sasami, a little girl who had only her sister for a friend for   
much of her life. Aeka knew what Sasami meant about playmates at   
the palace only wanting to garner favors for their families, she   
could remember dealing with exactly that during her own youth and   
spending much of her time with Yousho as a result. Finally she   
sighed and got up, going to the couch where Sasami sat and hugging   
her sister tightly.  
  
"You can stay here, Sasami. I know you'll miss me, and I'll   
miss you too, but you'll make lots of new friends at school in   
Tokyo and I'm sure the time will just fly by for you. Then we'll   
be together again all summer and we can decide what to do after   
that when we get there, okay?" Aeka wiped the tears from Sasami's   
face and smiled, trying to hide her own pain at the thought of   
being away from her sister once more.  
  
Sasami looked doubtful but nodded. "If you're sure it's   
okay, Aeka..."  
  
"I'm sure, Sasami. I'm sorry I put all this on you, you're   
right to want to make friends and if I could avoid it I wouldn't   
want to leave here either. But if I don't go back to Jurai I   
won't be able to be happy, thinking about all the things that I   
could be trying to set right if I were there. There are still   
lots of things we'll need to talk about before I leave, but I   
don't see why you can't stay here and go to school."  
  
Sasami found a smile somewhere and squeezed Aeka in a   
crushing, Misaki-inherited, hug. Finally Aeka stood and wiped her   
own eyes, saying brightly, "Well then. Does anyone else have   
anything important to talk about? It seems tonight is a night for   
confessions and sad decisions, so we may as well get any more out   
of the way now and have a nice holiday together."  
  
"I... I have something I wanna say." Everyone looked   
startled as Mihoshi stood awkwardly, uncomfortable being the focus   
of attention. "I guess it's not as important as everything Aeka   
said, but I've been worrying about it and Aeka's right, you're the   
closest to a family I've had... For a long time."  
  
Aeka sat back down, wondering like everyone else at this new   
side of Mihoshi. The blonde woman usually seemed happy and   
carefree, but something in her voice now hinted at ancient pain   
left long buried.  
  
"When I was gone so long on my last patrol it wasn't really   
because it kept getting extended like I said," Mihoshi explained,   
"I got a new partner and I had to show her what we're supposed to   
do, but I knew if I said anything you'd want me to bring her here   
so you could meet her, and I didn't want to 'cause she was really   
mean. But after I'd been with her a while I found out she's not   
really mean, she's just lonely. She doesn't have anybody either,   
she spends all her time at work and doesn't have any friends. She   
was always yelling at me for being so clumsy all the time and I   
got really mad at her, then one day I accidentally deleted our   
report and she started really screaming at me and I started   
crying. She got all sad too and she said she wasn't really mad at   
me for being clumsy, she just thought I could do better and   
yelling at people is just how she tells them that.   
  
"Anyway, when we were finally done with the patrol and I was   
coming back here I felt kinda bad leaving her alone out at the   
station with hardly anybody around. There's never anybody there   
really, but right now everybody's out by Jurai 'cause of the thing   
Aeka was talking about and so there's only a few people on the   
station at all. But I didn't want to say anything 'cause I was   
afraid if I brought her here she'd be mean to everybody and you'd   
all hate her, and I didn't want that to happen 'cause now that I   
know she's not really mean I kind of like being her partner and I   
don't want her to not get along with everybody... But after Aeka   
said all that stuff I feel really bad for not seeing if she could   
come with me when I came back from my patrol and spend the holiday   
here with us, she doesn't have any friends or anything and she   
looked really sad when I was leaving."  
  
Mihoshi sat back down, blushing and looking down at the   
carpet as everyone tried to avoid gaping at her. Anything longer   
than a couple of sentences was a major speech for Mihoshi under   
most circumstances, and the amount of observance and compassion in   
her story was nearly staggering for the young policewoman. This   
time it was Katsuhito who first found his voice and said, "I don't   
think anyone would mind if your partner came here for Christmas,   
Mihoshi. The more the merrier, eh?" He lifted his cup of sake in   
a toast to Mihoshi's compassion and quaffed the remaining   
contents.  
  
"Oh, gee," Mihoshi exclaimed gleefully, looking around the   
room, "Really? Nobody minds?"  
  
"Of course we don't, Mihoshi," Ryouko said kindly, "I'm sure   
we'll all get along with any friend of yours, right Tenchi?"  
  
"Oh. Oh, sure," Tenchi agreed when Ryouko nudged him, "Do   
you think you could get ahold of her now? She'll have to leave   
soon if she's going to get here in time for Christmas."  
  
Mihoshi bounced to her feet, a happy grin on her face. "Oh   
sure, she said she wasn't going anywhere. Can I use your   
communicator please Miss Washuu?"  
  
Washuu stood slowly and nodded, "Of course, Mihoshi. Come   
on, I'll show you where it is in my lab." The scientist eyed the   
blonde with a look of deep consideration as they headed for the   
broom closet where the lab was once more located.  
  
"Wow," Mihoshi said with something closer to her usual level   
of happiness, "Kiyone's gonna be so happy!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Tenchi? Mind if we talk for a little bit?"   
  
Tenchi was sitting at his desk, staring out the bedroom   
window at the moonlit treetops and sipping at a cup of cocoa   
spiked ever so slightly. He really didn't like drinking alcohol   
much, but after Aeka's confession and everything with Sasami he   
needed something to relax before going to sleep. When Ryouko   
asked her question from where she lay on the bed, chin propped up   
on a pillow on the footboard to stare at him, her feet kicking   
idly in the air, he set the cup down and turned his chair to face   
her.  
  
"Of course not, what's up?"  
  
"Well..." Ryouko twisted a strand of her cyan hair around a   
finger nervously, she obviously wanted to talk about something but   
was having difficulty deciding how to ask it. "It's about this   
afternoon, when you were helping Nobuyuki put up the lights and   
Mihoshi knocked the ladder over."  
  
Tenchi raised a eyebrow and asked teasingly, "Upset we didn't   
get to finish what we started?"  
  
Ryouko flashed a grin at him before going back to the serious   
expression she had been wearing, "Well, there's that too, but it's   
about what happened when the ladder fell over."  
  
"You know I don't mind you teleporting me around, Ryouko,"   
Tenchi said, slightly confused. "Especially when you're saving me   
from getting hurt like today."  
  
Ryouko frowned, saying, "That's just it. I didn't do it. I   
was going to, I was all set to teleport us down to the ground when   
all of a sudden, there we were. I thought maybe you had done   
something..."  
  
Tenchi shook his head, confusion shifting in focus, "You know   
I can't do anything like that. But if you didn't do it, what   
happened?"  
  
"Maybe mom did something and forgot to tell us," Ryouko   
suggested, "You know how she can get sometimes."  
  
Tenchi frowned but said, "Yeah, that's probably it. Why   
don't we go ask her tomorrow? I'm grateful if it was her, I   
probably would have broken my other arm if I'd hit the ground, but   
I don't like the idea of getting teleported around without knowing   
who's doing it."  
  
"So what do you think about Mihoshi bringing her new partner   
here?" Ryouko changed the subject in the hopes of dispelling the   
vague doubts still lurking in her mind over the teleportation   
issue.  
  
Tenchi shrugged and replied, "Well, anyone who puts up with   
Mihoshi and is still nice enough to make friends with her can't be   
all bad."  
  
Ryouko chuckled and said, "Oh come on Tenchi, she's not that   
bad."  
  
Tenchi nodded agreeably, "I know. She's a wonderfully   
thoughtful person once you get to know her, but most people   
probably wouldn't bother. And Mihoshi seems to really like this   
Kiyone person, which is usually a good sign."  
  
Ryouko started to nod but was interrupted by a sudden and   
wide yawn. "Mmm," she sighed afterward, "It's been a long day."   
She got up and went to Tenchi, leaning over to kiss him before   
saying, "I'm going to go to sleep, don't stay up too late."  
  
Tenchi smiled and agreed, "Okay, just let me finish off my   
cocoa and I'll come to bed."  
  
Ryouko turned and headed back toward the bed, yawning again   
as she slipped out of the long shirt she had been wearing and   
under the covers. "Don't think I'll be awake when you get   
here..." Ryouko's words were distorted by another yawn mid-  
sentence.  
  
  
Tenchi swallowed the last of his drink and stood, stretching   
and yawning himself as he headed toward the bed. When he climbed   
under the covers and slid his arms around Ryouko she stirred   
gently but only murmured something unintelligible. True to her   
words, she was already asleep.  
  
"Goodnight, Ryouko," Tenchi whispered, kissing her neck and   
settling himself for sleep.  
  
* * *  
  
Washuu was not sure that inviting Mihoshi's partner had been   
such a good idea afterall. The green-haired woman on the   
communicator screen seemed grumpy and not really very excited   
about flying all the way out to Earth to spend a holiday she had   
never heard of with people she didn't know, but Mihoshi assured   
her that that was just how Kiyone was and that she really was   
happy.   
  
"Thanks for letting me use your comm screen Washuu, mine's   
kind of broken right now."  
  
"Yeah, well that's what happens when you send your ship into   
the ground in a nosedive from orbit."  
  
Mihoshi blushed and mumbled, "I'm sorry, Washuu. You're   
always so nice, fixing Yukinojo every time I crash and I never   
even thank you for it..."  
  
"Ahh, don't worry about it," Washuu grinned and patted the   
younger woman on the back, "Gives me something to do. There's not   
much to occupy a genius around here you know."  
  
"What about Grandfather?"  
  
Washuu looked sharply at Mihoshi and asked in a voice couched   
in suspicion, "What exactly do you mean?"  
  
"I dunno," Mihoshi said nervously as they began walking back   
toward the lab's exit, "You two are just always talking and I   
thought since Ryouko had Tenchi..." Mihoshi trailed off,   
seemingly unsure what exactly she thought.  
  
"Mihoshi," Washuu stopped her path across the lab and   
pointed back the way they had come, "Come sit down for a minute?   
I wanna talk to you."  
  
"Oh..okay," Mihoshi stuttered, confused by the sudden change   
in Washuu's mood. "I didn't do something wrong again, did I?"  
  
"I don't know, Mihoshi," Washuu said thoughtfully, "I think   
you'll have to tell me that."  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm gonna miss you Dad."  
  
Natsuri Onomasi looked uncomfortable. He was a consummate   
businessman but had difficulty with personal situations. Even   
today, seeing his son off at the airport, he had worn a three-  
piece suit and had his business card holder, a beautiful golden   
box engraved with his name which his son had given him on his   
birthday years ago, stowed carefully in his breast pocket in case   
he happened upon a potential deal.  
  
"I... I will miss you as well, Mataeo. You will do well in   
Tokyo, I am sure. You make your mother and I very proud."  
  
Mataeo Onomasi shifted uncomfortably. He had grown up his   
father's son and, while he did not have Natsuri's inherent   
difficulty with expressing emotions, he was not sure how to deal   
with them around his father. Was he supposed to hug him? He   
couldn't remember ever having hugged his father, but a handshake   
did not really seem right when you were going away to college in   
another country and wouldn't see your father again for four years   
or more.  
  
"Also," Natsuri's apparent discomfort increased, but he had   
made a promise and he was not one to break his word, "Fujihara-san   
asked that I remind you to take care of Ai. She has never been   
away from home before and he fears she will be confused in Tokyo.   
Please make sure that she finds a place to stay and that the   
landlords do not gouge her for rent."  
  
Mataeo nodded and struggled again with the idea of hugging   
his father. Finally he decided that it would only make Natsuri   
uncomfortable and that there was something he could do that would   
leave a better, more lasting impression with him. Mataeo reached   
into his jacket pocket, a simple windbreaker that clashed horribly   
with his father's formality, and withdrew his wallet. He flipped   
it open with the casual flick of his wrist that his father had   
taught him to use when opening a business card case and withdrew a   
card bearing his name and his new address in Tokyo. Mataeo bowed   
formally, offering the card to his father.  
  
Natsuri acted automatically, returning the bow while taking   
the card carefully by the edges. As they straightened he studied   
it carefully, giving it all the attention he would have given the   
card of a business partner, and slipped it carefully into his   
breast pocket before retrieving one of his own and offering it in   
similar fashion to his son.  
  
"Goodbye, Mataeo," Natsuri said stiffly as the familiar   
ritual ended and he was once more on his own in a difficult   
moment, "Good luck in Tokyo and your mother wishes that I remind   
you not to forget to write." That said he turned on his heel, not   
waiting for a response, and strode quickly across the airport   
lobby. Mataeo watched the retreating back of his father and waved   
belatedly, saying softly, "Bye dad. Love you too."  
  
"Thank you for visiting Hong Kong International Airport,   
flight one-two-eight to Tokyo now boarding at gate nineteen."   
Mataeo hefted his carry-on bag and turned toward the gate as the   
message repeated itself in Chinese, Korean, and English. As the   
attendant checked his boarding pass Mataeo turned and looked out   
across the sea of travelers, but his father's figure was already   
lost amidst the crowds.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ah doan see how y'all eat with them thangs."  
  
Ai Fujihara looked up from her dinner at the speaker. The   
comment was made in English by a person with an accent   
sufficiently thick that she almost did not understand. Her reply   
to the large man with the handle-bar moustache wearing the   
slightly ridiculous cowboy hat was in the clipped speech of a   
person who, despite being fluent in the language, only rarely   
spoke it outside of a school.  
  
"It is not difficult, would you like me to teach you?" Ai   
held up her chopsticks and snapped the tips together   
demonstratively, but the large white man shook his head.   
  
"Nah, fork'll do well 'nuff fer me. Always has. So what's a   
purty lil' thang like you doin' flyin' all by yer lonesome?"  
  
Ai tried to decide if the man was merely being friendly or   
was trying to seduce her, it was so hard to tell with Americans   
sometimes. "I am on my way to Tokyo to attend university there.   
My parents live in Hong Kong, so I am flying alone because they   
remain there."  
  
"Aw shucks, darlin'," the large man laughed, "I didn't mean   
ta offend ya, I'm jes tryin' to be friendly. Name's Jones, Steve   
Jones." Mr. Jones held out his hand and Ai shook it firmly. Her   
mother had taught her that women could only succeed in the world   
by breaking the stereotypes given them, so when dealing with   
foreigners she made sure to act boldly rather than with the quiet   
reticence usually expected of a woman of her nationality.   
  
"Ai Fujihara," she inverted her name for the introduction to   
avoid the inevitable confusion that would result otherwise. "It   
is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jones. You are going to Tokyo for   
business, I assume?" He looked of the sort of American   
businessman who flew to Tokyo. The kind of gaijin who acted like   
Japanese businessmen usually made the rest of the world come to   
them, rather than going to it.  
  
"Ayup," Jones agreed, "My company jes bought up some of them   
dot-coms and now we're lookin' at expanding inta computer sales.   
I always knew them computers was the way of the future, shoulda   
told somebody years back and I'd own half the damn planet like all   
them silicon-valley types. Anyhoo, I'm goin' over ta Japan 'cause   
my advisors say you Japanese like doin' business in person. Even   
learned me a little of yer nip-pon-go to wow 'em with. How's this   
sound?" Mr. Jones carefully recited, "It is a pleasure to meet   
you, Musashi-san. I look forward to doing business with you."  
  
Ai winced inwardly and his pronunciation and said, "Perhaps   
you should stick to English, Mr. Jones. You may find Japanese   
businessmen will be more impressed if you are yourself than if you   
try to 'wow' them."  
  
"Mebbe yer right, lil' lady. Never did like puttin' on airs   
anyway. Lemme let you get back to yer food, this oriental   
cuisine's right nasty when it gets cold. No offense o' course."   
  
The large American turned back to his own little tray of   
airline food and pulled on a pair of headphones. Ai prodded at   
her dinner but was not really hungry enough to eat it. She was   
nervous about going so far away to school, no matter what her   
parents said about it being a good experience for her. If Mataeo   
were not going to the University of Tokyo as well she thought she   
probably would have begged her parents to allow her to stay in   
Hong Kong and go to school there. She was Japanese by birth, and   
had lived there for the first years of her life, but she could not   
help thinking of Hong Kong as her home and Tokyo seemed very far   
away.  
  
Ai sighed and put her chopsticks down across her tray. She   
thought of Mataeo and smiled weakly, thinking, *It is far away,   
but at least there will be one friendly face.*  
  
* * *  
  
Sasami walked quietly beside her sister down the steps from   
the shrine. They had not gone up there for any particular reason,   
it was somewhere to walk that took a while to get to, and Aeka had   
wanted to talk to her.   
  
"So you understand now Sasami?" Aeka asked, breaking the   
silence which had stretched between them for the past five   
minutes.  
  
"I... I think so. It sounds very," Sasami thought about it,   
searching for a good word to describe it all, "Sticky."  
  
Aeka blushed and chuckled softly behind her hand. "Yes, I   
suppose it does. Really this should have waited until your   
lessons arrive from Jurai, but I didn't want you getting any odd   
ideas from Ryouko or Washuu. The important part to remember is   
that it's just for people who love one another."  
  
Sasami nodded slowly. "Like Ryouko and Tenchi?"  
  
"Yes," Aeka responded quietly, "Like Ryouko and Tenchi."  
  
"So you've never..." Sasami stopped on a step and looked at   
her sister.  
  
"No, I've never." Aeka continued walking.  
  
"But," Sasami gasped after hurrying to catch up with the   
older princess, "If you haven't... How do you know?"  
  
"It's all in your lessons, Sasami. There are.. pictures."  
  
"Okay, but," Sasami argued, "How do you know? What if it's   
not the same for people on Earth? What if I meet somebody and I   
want to... But it doesn't work right?"  
  
Aeka was the one to stop walking this time. She turned on   
Sasami and attempted to remain calm while saying, "You are most   
certainly not going to find out! I just finished telling you that   
it is only for people who are in love."  
  
Sasami nodded, "I know, I understand, but what if I fall in   
love with somebody? You fell in love with Tenchi right away, what   
if I meet somebody nice in Tokyo?"  
  
"Perhaps that wasn't such a good idea afterall," Aeka frowned   
at her sister seriously, "I'll not have my sister going about   
being... Being promiscuous!"  
  
Sasami was rushing down the slope toward tears when she   
turned away from Aeka and cried, "It wouldn't be being   
prom..proim...that thing if I was in love! And this is all so   
confusing and I don't..." Sasami turned back around, her face   
flushed and the tears that had threatened before beginning to   
form, "And I'm a big girl now! Back on Jurai you said that when I   
had my Change I could do what I wanted to, and I want to go to   
Tokyo and go to school! I don't wanna go back to Jurai and have   
to be nice to all those horrible duchesses and baronesses and   
things, they were all mean and I hate them! I'm not going and you   
can't make me!"   
  
"Sasami..." But her sister didn't hear Aeka's plea, she was   
running down the steps, only the sound of her wailing sobs left   
drifting on the air behind her.  
  
* * *  
  
Washuu tapped at her transparent keyboard, watching in   
frustration as the same data she had been looking at since last   
night scrolled by. *Who Are you Mihoshi?* Washuu wondered   
intensely, *Where did you come from? Who were your family? Why   
don't you remember anything before a few years ago? And why don't   
you want to?*  
  
Washuu had taken the young police-woman back to a quiet part   
of her lab to talk and had, with as much tact as she could manage,   
asked Mihoshi those very questions. In all the time she had known   
Mihoshi Washuu had never heard her say anything about herself   
beyond that she was in the Galaxy Police, that she had relatives   
fairly high in the chain of command, and that she, somehow, had a   
very good career record. The strange turn Mihoshi's behavior had   
taken since her return from her extended patrol had set Washuu to   
wondering why exactly that was. The girl seemed like an   
extraordinarily lucky idiot most of the time. She was a fine   
young lady, but she acted most of the time as though she had the   
mentality of a ten year old, and one rather less mature than   
Sasami had been. But then sometimes, ever so rarely, she would   
have some startlingly accurate revelation. *Like today,* Washuu   
thought, *Nobody knows that I'm interested in Katsuhito, I'm not   
even sure he takes me seriously about it. But she somehow saw it,   
and she's off on patrol half the time.*  
  
Mihoshi had proved singularly unhelpful in revealing her own   
past. She remembered waking up one day a half dozen years back,   
and next to nothing before that. She thought of the Commissioner   
as her grandfather, but seemed to have no idea whether they were   
truly related. She was stationed so far out from everything that   
she hardly ever talked to anyone besides her immediate supervisor.   
From what Washuu could gather Mihoshi simply appeared at the GP   
academy on Dalris one day ten years ago and enrolled. The   
scientist could find no record Anywhere of where Mihoshi had been   
before that, and besides a long list of commendations awarded over   
the four years following her enrollment there was no record of her   
existence beyond that until six years ago. At that point, the   
point Mihoshi could now remember back to and no further, she lost   
whatever edge she had had as a police woman. She became,   
overnight, the bumbling bubble-head that they all knew and loved.   
The Mihoshi spoken of in her commendation reports was a valiant   
officer who risked life and limb in dangerous situations,   
outwitting criminal masterminds and hunting down the most elusive   
hoodlums. Then, six years ago, something had changed. Mihoshi   
got into one screw up after another and eventually landed out here   
patrolling Sol system, what had been until a few years ago the   
single least important assignment in the patrolled galaxy.  
  
And she didn't want to know why. That was what so thoroughly   
confounded Washuu. The nature of the block on Mihoshi's memory   
was such that she did not actively realize she had forgotten much   
of her life, thoughts about times before that day six years ago   
simply drifted away. But when Washuu had confronted her with it   
directly she violently opposed having her memories examined.   
Washuu had explained that it wouldn't hurt and that, even if they   
found nothing, her current memories would be in no way effected.   
But Mihoshi was entirely opposed to the whole idea. She had   
broken down into tears after screaming at Washuu that she didn't   
want her poking around in her head, begging Washuu to forgive her   
for her outburst. The scientist had, of course, forgiven her and   
tried to comfort her. With the speed only Mihoshi could manage   
the blonde's mood slid back to happiness and she had trotted out   
of the lab in search of Sasami so the princess could help her wrap   
Christmas gifts.  
  
So now Washuu sat, combing through the same data again and   
again but getting no closer to discovering the strange and elusive   
story of Mihoshi's life. Washuu sighed and sat back from the   
floating terminal, letting her eyes rove over her lab.   
  
*Ahha!* Washuu thought triumphantly when her gaze settled on   
her communication screen, *Kiyone! She's a GP officer, and   
Mihoshi said she had been with the force a while. She'll have   
heard about Mihoshi's exploits before and after whatever happened   
six years ago.* Washuu rubbed her hands together, excited by the   
impending answer to her dilemma.  
  
  
"Washuu?"  
  
Washuu looked up at the sound of her name. "Hey Ryouko!   
What's up? Time for lunch?"  
  
Ryouko shook her head as she walked across the lab toward her   
mother, saying, "Not lunchtime yet. I wanted to ask you about   
something though."  
  
"Sure thing, shoot." Washuu was in a good mood now that she   
saw an answer within reach to the whole Mihoshi question. Not   
being able to find Any data about someone had been rather   
disturbing.  
  
"Did you... Did you do something yesterday? And maybe forget   
to tell me?  
  
Washuu arched an eyebrow and asked, "Do something? Like   
what? I did lots of things yesterday."  
  
"It was yesterday afternoon, just before we brought the tree   
inside. Tenchi was up on a ladder out in front of the house and   
Mihoshi knocked it over. I was going to teleport him to the   
ground so he wouldn't get hurt, but someone else did it first."  
  
Washuu frowned and shook her head, "No... I didn't do any   
teleporting of anything yesterday. And you didn't feel any   
strange power sources at the time?"  
  
"No, just one second we were up on the ladder, the next we   
were down on the ground. Tenchi didn't notice anything either, he   
thought I did it."  
  
"Hmmm," Washuu hmmed, "That is strange. Tenchi's energy   
detection resolution at close range is much finer than yours. It   
shouldn't be possible for someone to spend the energy for   
teleportation and he not feel it."  
  
"Ahha!" Ryouko cheered, "So That's how he does it!"  
  
"Does what?" Washuu asked in confusion.  
  
"He always knows when I try to sneak up on him, but he   
wouldn't tell me how."  
  
Washuu laughed, "You never guessed? He told you himself that   
he can sense things through the Jurai energy field around him."  
  
Ryouko flushed slightly. "I guess I just never thought about   
it that way..."  
  
"He probably doesn't know himself," Washuu commented as she   
summoned up her terminal again, "I picked up his capacity for it   
when I was scanning him after the incident with Shiko, but I   
didn't bother to say anything. Hmm," Washuu tapped at her   
keyboard and frowned at the results, "No, I don't see anything   
anomalous in my sensor data for yesterday. There are a few tiny   
power spikes around the right time, but they're the same as all of   
your trans-spatial-" Washuu saw her daughter's expression and   
amended herself, "Teleportations. No, wait... This one's   
different. It's only by a phase shift of a hundredth of a degree,   
but it's different. You're right, whomever popped you two onto   
the ground wasn't you. But I've never monitored this signature   
before." Washuu sighed and shook her head, "I'll work on it   
Ryouko, but without some more data I don't see how I can find out   
who did this."  
  
* * *  
  
"Was that Sasami?" Azaka rotated toward Kamadake where they   
hovered on the lawn near the front of the house, tracking the   
young woman as she ran past them and through the front door.  
  
"Yes," Kamadake replied, "I believe it was. And she seemed   
to be crying. I wonder what's wrong."  
  
Azaka rotated back toward the distant staircase when he   
sensed another life form approaching. "Ah, time for episode two.   
Here comes Aeka."  
  
"That's an odd way to put it Azaka."  
  
"Is it? She seems to be crying as well..."  
  
"Yes, she does that, but-Oh, Hello Ryou-ohki." The cabbit   
hopped up to the floating guardian and meowed plaintively.   
  
"In the house, Ryou-ohki. I believe you can catch her if you   
hurry."  
  
"You understood that?" Azaka asked of his long time   
companion when Ryou-ohki had hopped away after Sasami.  
  
"No, but what else could she have been asking?"  
  
"Yes, I suppose-Oops, here comes Jurai." Azaka rotated to   
follow the running figure of Aeka as she fled into the house after   
the cabbit and her sister.  
  
"Really, Azaka. We must have Miss Washuu examine your neural   
grid, your turns of phrase are just getting stranger and stranger.   
'Here comes Jurai'? What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"Well," Azaka replied slowly, "Aeka's family name is Jurai,   
and she was coming..."  
  
"Going, really."  
  
"Yes, yes, but I already said 'here comes Aeka,' I was being   
literary."  
  
"Can you be literary without writing it down?"  
  
"I don't see why not."  
  
"Technically you don't see at all, you have a sensor array   
wired into the neural grid holding your consciousness."  
  
"Come now, Kamadake. Must you always be so literal?"  
  
"You were the one who was being literary, I followed suit."  
  
* * *  
  
"It's a toaster."  
  
Ai looked at the wrapped package and then back up at Mataeo   
as he held it out to her. "If you were just going to tell me what   
it was anyway," Ai asked, "Why did you wrap it?"  
  
Mataeo grinned and apologized, "Sorry, I've never given a   
housewarming gift before."  
  
Ai stepped back from the doorway, taking the box from Mataeo   
and beckoning him inside. "Come in and help me move some of my   
boxes around so I can plug this in the kitchen. I'm afraid   
everything is still a mess."  
  
Mataeo entered the little apartment, taking off his jacket   
and hanging it from a hook by the door. "Alright, but I can't   
stay too long."  
  
Ai stopped in her path toward the kitchen and looked back at   
him, arching an eyebrow, "Got a hot date tonight?"  
  
Mataeo laughed and followed the young woman with long,   
straight, raven-black hair through the little arch separating the   
kitchen from the livingroom. "You know I don't Ai, you're the   
only girl I have hot dates with."  
  
"Well, where are you going then?" Ai pushed at a stack of   
boxes and Mataeo snatched the top one out of the air when it fell,   
stopping it just before it impacted her head. Ai blushed and   
smiled thankfully at him, moving to a shorter stack.  
  
"I saw an advertisement that the gym up the street from my   
apartment is looking for someone to teach children's Aikido on   
weekends, I thought I would go apply."  
  
"Is that a good idea? You don't want to compromise your   
school work with a job, especially since your father is paying   
your bills."  
  
Mataeo shrugged and said, "If it gets to be too much I'll   
quit, but I like teaching. And I don't like using Dad's money   
when I take you out. It would be nice having some money I earned   
myself for things like that."  
  
Ai smiled and stood up on her toes to kiss him before saying,   
"Then I hope you get the job, you're certainly qualified."  
  
"You should come down there with me some time, it's a really   
nice facility and your mother wouldn't want your self defense   
skills getting rusty just because you're away from home.   
Especially because you're away from home."  
  
Ai laughed and started unwrapping the toaster, having found a   
place to plug it in. "You're right, mom will probably attack me   
the next time I see her just to make sure I haven't been 'exposing   
myself to dangerous street thugs.'"  
  
  
Ai took the two slices of toast from the toaster as it   
ejected them, handing one to Mataeo and taking a bite of the other   
herself. "Mmm, my first home-cooked meal."  
  
Mataeo laughed, "And may many follow."  
  
Ai looked at him slyly and said, "It's not the first   
important one though. That'll be when you finally come to your   
senses and invite me to move in with you."  
  
Mataeo coughed nervously and looked away before joking   
weakly, "Such talk, what would your mother say?"  
  
"She'd say, 'Ai, you hit that Onosami boy over the head until   
he comes to his senses, he should know he won't find anyone better   
than my daughter!'"  
  
Mataeo looked at his watch nervously and said, "I'd better   
go, Ai. I'll miss the auditions for the job."  
  
"Okay, Mat," Ai sighed, hugging him before he went to   
retrieve his jacket, "Good luck."  
  
  
Ai leaned against the door frame and sighed, watching Mataeo hurry   
down the street toward a bus stop. *I wish I knew why he's so   
afraid of commitment. We've been dating for years, I know he   
doesn't want anyone else, but every time I bring up anything more   
serious he gets all flustered and runs away...*  
  
* * *  
  
Aeka knocked gently on the door asking, "May I come in   
Sasami?" Her sister's muffled approval filtered through the door   
and Aeka slid it open, stepping through and shutting it behind   
her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Sasami," Aeka said as she moved to sit down near   
her sister, "I should not have said what I did, and of course you   
may go to Tokyo. I know how important that is to you. Talking   
about that particular subject is just difficult for me, mother was   
very formal about that and I suppose I have inherited her ways of   
thinking."  
  
Sasami sniffed, she had stopped crying by then but the   
evidence of her tears was still fresh on her face. "I don't wanna   
be promiscuous, Aeka.. I looked it up in the dictionary and I   
don't wanna be that, but I've got all these new feelings that I   
didn't used to have and I keep thinking that maybe I'll meet a   
nice boy in Tokyo and fall in love and we can get married someday.   
And then when you said I couldn't I got all upset and I don't even   
know why, now I'm not upset and I feel silly instead." Sasami   
sighed and shook her head wearily.   
  
"Everything's so different now. I thought when I had my   
Change I'd just get taller and look more like Tsunami, and that   
happened, but now I have all these weird feelings when I do stuff   
and I don't understand them. I got all upset 'cause you said I   
couldn't.. couldn't have sex, and I'm only twelve. Tenchi would   
say that's really hentai, but I don't Feel twelve anymore. Back   
on Jurai everybody always said that when you had your Change you   
started acting like a grownup, and now that I've had it I really   
do feel different, but I don't feel like a grownup. Did you feel   
like this when you had yours Aeka?"  
  
Aeka nodded sympathetically and took her sister's hand, "At   
first I did. When I had my lessons it helped, and then pretty   
soon I was used to all the new feelings and I didn't mind anymore.   
You're having so much trouble with it because your Change came so   
early. We weren't expecting it for months still and you didn't   
have time to get ready for it. When your lessons arrive from   
Jurai and you've had them you'll feel less confused about   
everything, trust me."  
  
Sasami nodded but asked, "What's in them anyway? Everybody   
called them 'etiquette lessons,' but you said they have all sex   
stuff in them too. And I already had etiquette lessons before and   
I don't see how knowing when to bow and what to call your aunt on   
your daddy's side four times removed when she asks you to pass a   
biscuit could help me any."  
  
Aeka giggled, she remembered those etiquette lessons as well.   
The procedures for behavior at court on Jurai were complex beyond   
all reason, with special titles given to everyone based on their   
relationship and the nature of the conversation. She could think   
of seventeen different ways, off the top of her head, to respond   
to the situation which Sasami had outlined jokingly.   
  
"Well, they have all of the 'sex stuff' as you put it   
Sasami," Aeka explained reluctantly. It really was not proper to   
tell someone what was in the lessons before they received them,   
but she supposed that since Sasami had already had her Change it   
could be allowed, "And they have some of the bowing and name-  
calling as well, though not as much. Mostly they're about how to   
deal with all of your new feelings and how to react in certain   
situations."  
  
Aeka paused, considering what else to tell Sasami. *Well,   
the tree does not bloom halfway...*  
  
"Has anyone ever told you how you have the lessons?"   
  
When Sasami shook her head Aeka continued, "You see, there's   
this sort of device that you wear, it looks like my tiara," Aeka   
pointed to the wooden item in question, "But it's made mostly of   
fibramic. When you're ready it puts all the lessons right into   
your head, like how Washuu looks at people's memories sort of, but   
in reverse."  
  
"Does it hurt?"  
  
"Oh, no. It is a bit disorienting at first, having so many   
new things that you can remember without having actually   
experienced them, but that goes away quickly. And it's all over   
in a matter of minutes."  
  
Sasami wrinkled her nose, a habit she had retained through   
her transformation and, Aeka thought, managed to look just as cute   
on her new face. "Do I have to have them? I'm not sure I like   
the idea of having stuff put in my head... And Tenchi didn't have   
them, and he's okay."  
  
Aeka paused, she had never considered that someone might not   
Want to have the lessons. Everyone had them on Jurai and nobody   
ever seemed to question them. "Well," Aeka said slowly, trying to   
figure out how to respond, "Tenchi is mostly Earth human. He grew   
up slowly, so he had time to deal with all the new things that   
happened to him as he grew older. You had everything that Tenchi   
would have experienced over a period of years, were he female, in   
just a month and a half or so."  
  
"I guess you're right," Sasami agreed reluctantly, "I guess   
I'm just nervous 'cause everything has changed so much already and   
I'm not sure I want it to change even more."  
  
"Don't worry, Sasami," Aeka patted her sister's hand, "I'll   
be here with you and everything will be okay, you'll see."  
  
"I'm also kind of worried about Tsunami," Sasami said   
quietly, "She used to talk to me sometimes, in my head, but she   
hasn't in a while. Not since before my Change. She said before   
that when I had it she'd be able to talk to me more, and when I   
had my second Change she'd be there all the time, but I wouldn't   
really notice anymore 'cause she'd be part of me and I'd be part   
of her."  
  
Aeka was not sure how to respond to that, the idea of her   
little sister becoming one with a goddess whom she had been   
worshipping as long as she could remember was more than a little   
daunting. Sasami really did look more like Tsunami now, at least   
from what Aeka could remember from the few times she had seen her   
and the few murals and statues around the palace. It was not   
anything like a perfect match, though Aeka supposed it would be   
once Sasami had her second Change, but that wouldn't be for   
another twenty years. *Well, probably not anyway. She had this   
one early afterall...* But that was more than Aeka wanted to   
think about. She herself still had a good few years to go before   
that event, and Sasami already looked somewhat older than she did.   
  
*Mostly because she's taller, I suppose,* Aeka thought,   
looking at her sister where she sat on the futon next to her, *And   
perhaps a bit more.. developed.* Not that Aeka would ever say so   
out loud, of course. The fact that her sister had become an   
attractive young woman was something she could barely think about   
consciously and explaining sex to her had taken all the resolve   
Aeka could muster. Aeka's years here on earth had loosened her   
once iron grip on a moral code of propriety mother Funaho had   
instilled in her, but since Shiko she had found herself relying   
more and more on those old guidelines. He, or the thing   
controlling his body, she reminded herself, had forced her to say   
some truly awful things, and had even made her expose herself to   
him once. She was glad now, in retrospect, that the being   
controlling Tenchi's cousin had such a horribly twisted version of   
humanity. It had not been interested in her physically at all, it   
had only wanted to make her feel ashamed and, if possible, hurt   
Tenchi with that shame. Had it realized what raping her would   
have done to him it probably would have done that too, but luckily   
Tokimi had apparently not given her servant that knowledge. Aeka   
still had great difficulty remembering those days and the things   
that that being had done to her, but had it done that as well she   
was sure she never would have been able to come back to herself.   
Now thoughts of physical love seemed more likely to bring up   
memories of the things that creature had made her say than   
anything else, so she strove to avoid them. Talking to Sasami   
about it had been very difficult, but she knew it had to be done   
quickly before her sister got any ideas from the other women of   
the house or, worse, from Nobuyuki's rather extensive collection   
of hentai media.   
  
"I'm glad you're here, Aeka," Sasami said suddenly, startling her   
sister out of her own train of thought, "I was really confused,   
and I guess I still am, but I couldn't talk to Ryouko, Washuu, or   
Mihoshi about it. It would have been too embarrassing. I just   
wish you didn't have to go back to Jurai so soon. What if I need   
to talk to somebody and you're not here?"  
  
"You can always call me from Washuu's lab, Sasami," Aeka said   
warmly, "No matter how busy I get on Jurai I'll always have time   
to talk to you. And if you really need someone to talk to and,   
for some reason, I'm not around, I want you to talk to Ryouko.   
Okay?"   
  
Sasami nodded and hugged her sister while Aeka thought, *I'll   
simply have to have a talk with Ryouko about what sorts of things   
are appropriate to tell Sasami. But she does need someone she can   
go to if she gets upset, and I can't hug her over a comm screen.*  
  
* * *  
  
Ryouko watched Kiyone and Mihoshi stringing popcorn with   
Sasami and wondered how she could have ever thought Mihoshi's new   
partner to be mean spirited. The green-haired woman had arrived   
much more quickly than they expected, apparently there were rather   
more direct routes between the GP outpost and Earth than the one   
Mihoshi normally followed. At first Ryouko, and most of the   
members of the household, had thought Kiyone to be rather   
disagreeable and a bit cruel to Mihoshi.  
  
It only took a few days, however, for Kiyone to open up and   
show that she really wasn't the grumpy person she appeared. And   
Mihoshi not only didn't seem to mind Kiyone growling and,   
occasionally, even yelling at her but, in fact, Ryouko would swear   
that a few times she had even seen the blonde smiling when Kiyone   
angrily showed her how to do whatever it was Mihoshi had done   
wrong in the first place. It was a bizarre relationship, but   
Ryouko was glad Mihoshi had found a new friend. With her, Tenchi,   
and Sasami gone in Tokyo and Aeka returning to Jurai the house   
would be quiet for the spring, and Mihoshi would need someone.  
  
*There's something else there too,* Ryouko thought as she   
watched Kiyone nudge Mihoshi and whisper something in her ear,   
making the other woman laugh delightedly, *I don't quite know what   
it is, but there's something...*  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm sorry Miss Washuu, but I really just don't know."  
  
Washuu sighed and asked again, "You're sure? Nothing? Not   
even a little bit?"  
  
Kiyone shook her head, she wished she could help the   
obviously distressed woman but truly did not have the answers   
Washuu sought. "I've been on the force two years longer than   
Mihoshi, but I was stationed back at central HQ when she was off   
winning all those awards. I heard about her back then, everybody   
did, she was the most decorated junior officer in a hundred years,   
but I didn't meet her until I was assigned to Sol system."  
  
"What did you do to get stuck out here anyway?" Washuu   
asked, giving up on the Mihoshi problem for the moment.  
  
Kiyone blushed slightly when she answered, "I requested it   
actually. They wanted another officer for this duty station with   
all the increased activity recently, and I volunteered. I loved   
working at central, but it's always so hectic there... I lost my   
father a few years ago, he was a cop too and some stupid punk took   
him out with a lucky shot. I've wanted to go somewhere quiet for   
a while and think since, but I don't want to leave the force to do   
it. Sol seemed as good as anywhere, and I kind of wanted to meet   
the legendary Kuramitsu Mihoshi. I've been hearing about how she   
took out the unobtanium smuggling ring out in sector 9 most of my   
career, I wanted to see what had happened to the wonder girl of   
the GP.  
  
"But I don't know any more about her than the stories, and   
those commendation records you found tell those better than I   
could. Six years ago her record just turned south. She still   
made some amazing collars, but where she used to be able to go   
into the worst situation and come out on top, she started ending   
up emerging from a pile of rubble looking as confused as the   
criminals she dragged out with her. The Commish thought it would   
be best if she were out here where nothing much ever happened for   
a while."  
  
"Did you know the Commissioner?" Washuu asked, suddenly   
excited again.  
  
"Sort of, I worked in his department for a while pushing a   
desk."  
  
"Was he really Mihoshi's grandfather? I can't find any sort   
of birth records for her anywhere, I thought if he's really   
related I could trace back..." Washuu trailed off as Kiyone shook   
her head sadly.  
  
"Sorry, Washuu, but he's not. He loves her like a   
granddaughter, but there's no relation. I asked him about her   
once and he told me that when she came into the academy he was   
teaching the Ethics in Modern Policing course and took a liking to   
her. It's kind of weird though, Mihoshi talks about him sometimes   
and I'd swear she doesn't know he's not really her grandfather."  
  
"She doesn't," Washuu sighed, "Mihoshi doesn't remember   
anything before six years ago and I have no idea why. She won't   
let me look at her memories to find out, and she seems to have no   
interest at all in exploring the block herself."  
  
Kiyone nodded thoughtfully, "That would explain a lot.   
Whenever I ask her about some of her more famous collars she just   
shrugs and says they weren't that great, then changes the   
subject."  
  
"I'm going to get to the bottom of this," Washuu said with   
determination, "There's something important behind this, I can   
feel it. Mihoshi does things that shouldn't be possible and she   
has no idea how she does it or, most of the time, even that she   
did it. Will you help me, Kiyone? You're her friend, help me   
find her past?"  
  
Kiyone looked troubled but agreed reluctantly, "I'll help   
Washuu, but I don't want to do anything to hurt her. If she   
doesn't want to remember her past she must have a reason for it.   
If we find out what happened to her and it's too bad, I don't want   
her to know we know."  
  
Washuu looked at Kiyone calculatingly and asked, "You like   
her don't you?"  
  
"Sure, Mihoshi's my friend." Kiyone laughed, "You know she   
made a sign for our room at the station that says, 'Partners   
against the scum of the universe'? Everybody thinks it's a riot,   
but it's sort of cute."  
  
"No," Washuu clarified, "I mean, you Like her, don't you?"  
  
Kiyone looked at the strange scientist for a moment before   
shaking her head, "I don't know what you mean, Miss Washuu. If   
you don't mind I need to go report in with the station."  
  
Washuu nodded thoughtfully, "Go ahead Kiyone, you can use my   
comm screen."  
  
* * *  
  
Tenchi admired his new dress kimono once more as he hung it   
carefully in his closet. Aeka had given it to him and he couldn't   
wait to find somewhere to wear it. Tenchi had always admired the   
style of dress in ancient Japan and thought that a woman in a   
properly fitted kimono far more appealing than some of the modern   
styles. He told Ryouko that once and she now owned half a dozen   
yukata and three silk kimonos which she wore whenever she could   
think of an excuse. Tenchi, on the other hand, had worn one   
exactly ten times in his life, twice for shichi-go-san, once a   
year after he turned fifteen to preside over that same event at   
his grandfather's shrine, and twice when he accompanied Katsuhito   
to consecrate land. Each time he had enjoyed the feel of it, and   
thought he actually looked fairly good in a kimono. This one was   
a lustrous gray embroidered with a pattern of flowers down the   
sleeves in black and red. Tenchi ran his fingers across the silk   
and smiled before closing the closet door.  
  
"Did you have a nice Christmas, Ryouko?" Tenchi asked as he   
turned away from the closet toward where she sat at his desk,   
toying with the palmtop computer her mother had given her.   
According to Washuu it had more processing power than all the   
computers on Earth combined, but it was disguised well enough that   
she would be able to use it in class without anyone knowing.   
Ryouko looked up and smiled.  
  
"It was wonderful. Every holiday here has been, but this   
year was particularly nice."  
  
"Oh? Why's that?" Tenchi asked, moving to sit on the edge   
of the desk.  
  
"Because you'd already given me the gift I've wanted so   
long."  
  
Tenchi smiled and opened one of the desk drawers, drawing out   
a very familiar cloth-wrapped box. "I have one more gift for you   
Ryouko."  
  
Ryouko took the box with suddenly shaking hands and opened it   
slowly. The cloth was the same she had wrapped Tenchi's necklace   
box with, but the box within was different. This one was covered   
in red felt and, as she saw upon opening it, lined with white   
silk. The necklace, however, was the same. And on it hung two   
red gems. Ryouko touched the gem in her right wrist and looked up   
at Tenchi.  
  
"But... Where? Where did you get these? They were fused   
with the sword..."  
  
Tenchi smiled again and explained, "They aren't real. Well,   
I mean, they're real rubies, but they aren't gems like yours. I   
had the clasp repaired and those set in place of your gems."  
  
"I don't know what to say Tenchi..."  
  
"Don't say anything yet. You gave me that necklace on my   
birthday and I returned it once already. This time it comes with   
two other things. First," Tenchi reached into the drawer again   
and drew out Tenchi-ken, "I'm returning your gems to you Ryouko,   
the real ones. I should have done this long ago, but somehow it   
never even occurred to me. You never said anything..."  
  
"I..." Ryouko shook her head, she had not thought about the   
gems in a long while. Being with Tenchi fulfilled her more than   
their power ever had, but now that they were so close she could   
feel them calling her. Their power sang in her veins and the gem   
at her wrist seemed to pulse gently. Almost without thinking   
Ryouko reached out to touch the hilt of the sword, all three gems   
glowing gently as they grew closer. Tenchi closed his eyes and   
gripped the handle with both hands, willing the gems back to their   
owner.  
  
"I love you, Ryouko," Tenchi whispered as the gems vanished   
from the sword and faded back into existence at Ryouko's wrist and   
throat. Ryouko's eyes closed and her back arched. The gems glow   
increased in intensity and she gasped, "I... love... you...   
tooooo..." Ryouko's voice lowered toward a moan and finally   
failed entirely. Tenchi opened his eyes in time to see three   
circles of blazing green appear on his lover's forehead and then   
fade just as quickly. The glow of the gems faded with them and   
Ryouko collapsed, falling forward into Tenchi's waiting arms. She   
panted faintly and her skin was covered in a sheen of perspiration   
which Tenchi gently wiped from her forehead.   
  
*Gods, what did they do to her?* Tenchi wondered as he   
cradled Ryouko in his arms, *I didn't think anything like that   
would happen... Maybe I should go get Washuu, she looked like she   
was in pain...*  
  
//No, I'm fine.//  
  
Tenchi held Ryouko back away from him far enough to look at   
her face. She was smiling. The voice in his mind had been his   
own, the one all his thoughts normally occurred in, but here was   
something about it... A Ryouko-ness that separated the words from   
his own internal monologue.   
  
*Ryouko? Was that you?*  
  
Ryouko shook her head, the concentration was plain on   
Tenchi's face.  
  
//No, Tenchi, not like that. Like This.// Something..   
twisted.. in Tenchi's mind. It was like flexing a muscle he had   
never known he had, somewhere near the back of his head. Tenchi   
felt around it mentally, sure that it hadn't been there before.  
  
//Ryouko?// Tenchi thought, twisting that strange..thing in   
his head.  
  
Ryouko nodded.  
  
"But.. how?" Tenchi's eyes were full of confusion as he   
stared at the woman in his arms.   
  
//The gems Tenchi,// Ryouko told him mentally, //It must be   
like what happened on your birthday. The gem I had was linked   
with the others when you claimed Tenchi-ken, Washuu told me that   
that was how I gained my empathy with you. It only received part   
of the partial imprinting that the gems took when the sword   
aligned itself with you. The other two were actually a part of   
the sword at the time and received nearly the whole thing. Mom   
told me once that this might happen when you gave me the gems   
back, but I was so happy just being with you that I hardly thought   
about them. I'm sorry Tenchi, I should have warned you.//  
  
Tenchi smiled and kissed her forehead, searching for that new   
part of his mind once more. //Don't be sorry, this is.. amazing.   
I was so afraid when you collapsed like that, I thought the gems   
had hurt you...// Tenchi found glimpses of his memories of that   
recent moment flashing across the link through which he spoke to   
her.  
  
Ryouko grinned and shook her head. //No, they didn't hurt.   
It was... Let me show you.// Ryouko touched her fingers to   
Tenchi's temples and looked at him for approval. When he nodded   
she reached out through their new bond again, //Brace yourself,   
Tenchi...//  
  
Tenchi stiffened as Ryouko let the memory pour through her   
mind and into his. Unlike Ryouko, Tenchi's eyes remained open.   
In fact, Ryouko noticed apprehensively, they seemed to be   
stretched wider than normal. When Tenchi began to shudder against   
her Ryouko stopped the flow of feeling, closing the link between   
them. But Tenchi didn't relax. Ryouko drew back as Tenchi's   
shivers became shakes, his muscles trembling as they all pulled   
against one another simultaneously. Tenchi's mouth opened but no   
sound came out. He rose slowly to his feet, his arms stretched   
out to his sides as he continued the horrible, silent scream.   
Ryouko backed away, her hand over her mouth in horror as she   
watched Tenchi tremble in place. *Oh god, what did I do? What   
happened? It felt so good when the gems transferred back to me,   
what's happening to him?*  
  
Tenchi's eyes grew even wider and she heard his joints   
popping as his muscles tried to pull them all in opposing   
directions at once. The marks of his birthright flared on his   
forehead and Ryouko could feel the power rolling off of him in   
waves.  
  
//Mom! Help!//  
  
Washuu was there, Ryouko thought she might have arrived even   
before she sent the panicked message along their link.   
  
"Wha.. what's happening to him, mom? What did I do? Oh god,   
what did I do?"  
  
Tenchi's feet lifted off the floor and he hung, arms spread   
and head tilted backward, suspended by nothing visible. The flood   
of Jurai energy was almost overwhelming, Ryouko was forced to step   
back away from him. Washuu, she saw, was also backing away.   
Ryouko caught her mother's eye and sent a wordless plea across   
their bond, but Washuu only shook her head. The fear in the   
scientist's eyes told Ryouko all she needed, her mother had no   
more idea what was happening than she did.  
  
"Tenchi! What's going on in there Tenchi?!" Aeka and Sasami   
burst through the doorway just as the Lighthawk wings shimmered   
into being in front of Tenchi's floating body. Aeka screamed and   
fell to her knees, clutching the tiara-form key on her forehead.   
It was glowing with an eerie silver light, but she tugged at it as   
though it were burning her skin. Sasami knelt next to her sister,   
futilely tugging at the tiara.  
  
Ryouko looked back from them to Tenchi. The wings had grown   
in opacity. Where they had always appeared as gossamer sheets of   
energy before, they now seemed almost solid. Tiny arcs of green-  
white flame leapt between them and thicker veins of it slowly grew   
between the hovering wings and Tenchi's body. Aeka's key   
skittered across the floor where she threw it, finally having   
wrenched it from her head. It glowed so brightly now that it was   
painful to look at, but seemed positively dim compared to the   
light flaring from the marks on Tenchi's forehead.  
  
"What's happening Aeka? What's wrong with him? Help him!   
Someone!" Ryouko was sobbing now, tears streaming down her face   
as she watched Tenchi slowly being enshrouded in those strange   
green flames.  
  
All at once the fires and the wings winked out. Tenchi fell   
to the floor, landing heavily on his feet. Ryouko started to rush   
forward but stopped in her tracks when Tenchi raised his head from   
where it had fallen, chin against his chest. His eyes were on   
fire. Where his familiar brown eyes had been were now two holes   
into a blazing green inferno. The marks on his forehead were   
still there, glowing with such intensity that they, like his eyes,   
appeared more like holes into some green abyss than marks on his   
body. There was absolutely no expression on Tenchi's face as he   
raised his hands, his muscles had become completely slack and were   
he not moving Ryouko would have sworn he was dead. When Tenchi's   
hands came together in front of his chest the Lighthawk sword   
exploded into them. The blade dripped tongues of blue fire over   
his hands to land, hissing, on the carpet and sputter out. Tenchi   
turned slowly, leveling those horrible green portals that had   
taken the place of his eyes on each of them in turn. Finally he   
turned back to Ryouko and stepped forward, raising the gleaming   
brand over his head.  
  
STOP.  
  
Tenchi stopped.   
  
FIND YOURSELF, MASAKI TENCHI. YOUR POWER WAS NOT GIVEN FOR   
THIS.  
  
Ryouko looked to the source of the voice, if it could be   
called that. It was more like the world was vibrating to a tune   
than any sort of speech. The meaning came across clearly, searing   
itself into her mind, and she could feel its source, but it could   
not truly be called a 'voice.'  
  
Sasami's mouth opened and the voice rang through the universe   
once more.  
  
FIND YOURSELF, MASAKI TENCHI, it repeated.  
  
Tenchi collapsed to the floor in a heap, the blazing fury of   
the Lighthawk sword winking out, the green fire vanishing with it   
from his eyes and forehead.  
  
Ryouko's eyes shifted back and forth between Tenchi lying   
unmoving on the floor and Sasami where she stood by the door, lit   
by some undefinable light.  
  
"What... Is he..."  
  
HE LIVES, RYOUKO, Sasami's mouth moved in time with the words   
once more. Ryouko stared at her, at the strangeness of her eyes.   
They were still Sasami's, still the pink orbs which had so often   
looked at her in concern or happiness, but there was something   
more there. Looking into them was like falling into a void. She   
could see age in their depths, age beyond anything she had ever   
imagined. They were eyes, she knew without knowing how, that had   
watched the birth and death of stars. Of universes.  
  
"Are you..." Ryouko still could not seem to form a full   
sentence.  
  
WE ARE TSUNAMI. The power of the statement blasted through   
Ryouko's mind like a tornado. Where the world seemed to ring like   
a struck bell with Tsunami's voice before, this was stated in a   
reverberation like a detonating sun. With it came a deep sadness,   
a heart-wrenchingly awful loneliness like nothing Ryouko had ever   
experienced. In all the centuries she spent in her cave Ryouko's   
loneliness never came close to touching on the depths of sadness   
embodied by the goddess' emotion.  
  
Ryouko fell to her knees. She had never knelt to anything in   
her thousands of years of existence, but the power in Tsunami...   
The age, the horrible, timeless age...  
  
STAND, RYOUKO. I APPEAR TO YOU AS A FRIEND, NOT AS A GOD.   
  
Ryouko stumbled back to her feet, keeping her head lowered   
both out of respect and of a desire not to look into those   
timeless orbs again. "But," Ryouko stuttered, thinking of how   
Tsunami had appeared before, "You... Before... What did you..."  
  
I APPEARED BEFORE IN MY ASTRAL FORM. THIS IS MY BODY, MY   
TRUE SELF. I AM SORRY FOR FRIGHTENING YOU, BUT TIME RUNS FAST   
HERE AND I HAVE LITTLE TO SPARE.  
  
Ryouko summoned all her resolve and managed a full question,   
"Will Tenchi be okay?"  
  
I RETURN HIM TO YOU. TAKE CARE OF HIM. Tsunami looked   
momentarily distracted, then continued, I MUST GO. THERE ARE OTHER   
WORLDS THAN THIS AND MY ATTENTION CANNOT BE DIVIDED NOW. FARE   
WELL, MASAKI RYOUKO.  
  
And she was gone. Sasami was still there, still standing in   
exactly the same position, but the presence of Tsunami was gone.   
  
*Masaki,* Ryouko thought as the light of the room faded back   
to normal, all trace of the many forms of supernatural   
illumination now gone. *She called me Masaki. But Tenchi hasn't   
proposed to me yet, I'm still Hakubi. Why?*  
  
Ryouko went to her fallen lover and checked him for injuries.   
Aeka and Washuu were slowly coming to, rising from the positions   
where they had fallen unconscious at Tsunami's first word.   
Grasped tightly in Tenchi's fist she found a short length of blue   
ribbon, slightly frayed along one edge. Ryouko had no idea what   
it was, but for Tenchi to have held on to it through all that it   
must be tremendously important to him. She carefully took it out   
of his now limp fingers and placed it in his desk drawer before   
returning to kneel beside him, cradling his head in her lap while   
she waited for him to regain consciousness. Tsunami promised he   
would live and Ryouko could find nowhere within herself the   
ability to doubt the goddess' words.   
  
* * *  



	2. Friends

**Note**  
**This is chapter two of On Pale Wings I Fly. If you have not   
**read chapter one, you are in the wrong place. All disclaimers   
**and such from chapter one apply to this chapter as well.  
** -- Krin (krin@hotmal.com)  
**/Note**  
  
-- two --  
friends  
  
  
"Come On Sammy, we're gonna be late!"   
  
Sasami covered her cellular phone with her hand and turned to   
say, "Okay Eto, I'll be right there!"  
  
"So I'm gonna be kinda late, okay Tenchi?" Sasami said into   
the phone.  
  
"No problem, Sasami. Ryouko and I are going out to dinner   
tonight so if you get home and we're not there make sure you start   
getting packed. We're leaving early tomorrow morning."  
  
"Okay, Tenchi. I'll talk to you later, Eto wants me to   
hurry."  
  
"Alright," Tenchi's voice came from the hot pink phone as   
Sasami lowered it from her ear to end the call, "Have fun with   
your friends."  
  
*Like I ever leave anything until the last minute,* Sasami thought   
indignantly as she pulled her book-bag out of her locker and,   
making sure it was empty, shut the door for the last time. "Okay   
Eto, I'm ready."  
  
"Finally," Eto sighed, "Girls, I swear..."  
  
"Girls what?" Sasami asked, looking at him with raised   
eyebrows and one hand on her hip.  
  
"Nothing," Eto said defensively, raising his hands in   
surrender, "Nothing! Come on Sammy, we're gonna miss everybody if   
we don't hurry."  
  
Sasami nodded and took Eto's hand, signaling that she forgave   
him for his almost comment about her gender. They walked sedately   
to the door leading out of the school, then broke into a run   
immediately outside it. School was out for summer break and,   
though Sasami had thoroughly enjoyed the term, she shared her   
friends' excitement at the sudden freedom. They would be leaving   
for Okayama tomorrow, but today she was still in Tokyo and she had   
all the afternoon and evening ahead of her with her new friends.  
  
* * *  
  
Tenchi dropped the phone back into its cradle and looked down   
at the paper on his table. In theory he was working on a project   
for his structural engineering class. The semester was over   
already, of course, but he would have the same professor for the   
second term class and he had given work to be ready at the   
beginning of the fall semester. In reality Tenchi had spent most   
of the last hour sketching in the margin of his work. He looked   
at the sketch, a recreation of a photo that he knew stood on the   
mantle back home, it depicted his family standing clustered under   
Funaho, Washuu and Sasami standing together in the middle with   
opposite hands raised in V's. Tenchi sighed and officially   
abandoned his homework by gently shading Washuu's hair.  
  
"Who was on the phone Tenchi?" Ryouko entered the livingroom   
from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a cloth. She had spent the   
morning cleaning up around the apartment so nothing would be left   
to fester during their absence for the summer.  
  
"Sasami," Tenchi answered without looking up, "She's going   
out with her friends."  
  
"You mean with Eto."  
  
Tenchi looked up and arched an eyebrow, "Yeah, I think Eto   
was going. Why?"  
  
Ryouko sighed and sat down on the back of the couch so she   
could continue facing him. "I think she has a crush on that boy."  
  
"Really?" Tenchi asked, startled by the concept, "I had no   
idea. Guess I'm not very good at picking up on those things."  
  
Ryouko chuckled and folded the dishrag absently, "Tell me   
something I don't know Tenchi. I worry about him though, I'm not   
sure I trust him with her."  
  
"You sound almost like Aeka," Tenchi teased, but Ryouko   
remained serious.  
  
"I can't blame the princess," Ryouko sighed, "Sasami's   
growing up fast. She almost acts like a normal teenager now.   
Well, as normal as any of her friends anyway."  
  
Tenchi chuckled, "So what if she does like him a little?   
What's the worst that can happen? A couple kisses behind the   
school?"  
  
Ryouko looked up at him with raised eyebrows and asked, "Have   
you actually looked at Sasami lately, Tenchi? Even you probably   
would have wanted to get in her pants at that age."  
  
"She's still only twelve Ryouko, do you really think she's   
going to go further than a kiss?"  
  
Ryouko shook her head, biting her lip in concern, "I don't   
know Tenchi. She may only have been alive and aware for twelve   
years, but she doesn't have the body of a twelve year old, or the   
feelings of a twelve year old, and at least some part of her mind   
is a goddess older than the universe."  
  
"So you think Tsunami is out looking for some action?"  
  
Ryouko tossed the dishrag at his head, but Tenchi dodged it.   
"I'm serious Tenchi! What if she does something with that boy?   
Aeka would never forgive me!"  
  
"I'm sorry Ryouko, I just don't think it should be a concern.   
You're right, Sasami is very mature for her age, but I think that   
will give her some restraint, not take it away. And I don't think   
Eto's such a bad kid. Kind of odd sometimes, but not a bad kid."  
  
Ryouko sighed, "You're probably right Tenchi, but Aeka   
entrusted me to watch out for Sasami and I worry."  
  
Tenchi stood and went to her, wrapping his arms around her   
and resting her head on his shoulder, "I know you do honey. We're   
going back home tomorrow and you won't have to worry about it for   
a while. Sasami's been a good girl all the time we've been here,   
I think she'll survive one more night while we go out to dinner."  
  
Ryouko chuckled and nodded. "Come on, we've got to get ready   
or we'll be late."  
  
Tenchi looked at the clock hanging on the wall and said,   
"It's only four o'clock, our reservation isn't until seven."  
  
"You know how long it takes you to get into that thing, and   
we'll have to go pick up Ai."  
  
Tenchi leaned down and kissed her in answer.  
  
"Mmm," Ryouko breathed afterward, but placed her finger   
across his lips when Tenchi leaned in for another kiss. "We have   
to get ready," Ryouko repeated, trying to sound stern.  
  
Tenchi rolled his eyes dramatically and said, "Yes ma'am,   
whatever you say ma'am, I live only to please you ma'am."  
  
Ryouko laughed, "Come on, lets get you into your kimono."  
  
* * *  
  
Mataeo looked at himself in the mirror and prodded his short   
brown hair again with the comb but it stayed essentially as it   
always did, poking out in every direction. Mataeo never dared let   
his grow much longer than the inch or so it was now, he was afraid   
of what he might look like with it long. Standing back from the   
wall a bit Mataeo straightened his kimono and posed dramatically.   
He thought it looked much better now that he had traded in his   
glasses for contact lenses, the combination of modern eyewear and   
ancient clothing had always been too much of an anachronism to   
work.  
  
*Don't know what Ai sees in me,* Mataeo thought as he shifted   
poses, *But it's not my devilish good looks.* Not that he was   
really all that hard on the eyes. Mataeo knew he looked fairly   
average really, but there was nothing outstanding about his   
appearance. His face was slightly long for someone of his   
culture, but not so much as to be unattractive. He was strong,   
but it was a wiry sort of strength, not the kind that came with   
impressively bulging muscles. Mataeo sighed and tossed his comb   
back onto the dresser thinking, "At least I can afford a decent   
kimono.*   
  
Mataeo's father was sufficiently generous that he could   
easily have acquired the money for a much more expensive one, but   
he felt uncomfortable with spending his father's money, no matter   
how often Natsuri tried to throw it at him as a replacement for   
affection. No, the money for his current attire and for the bill   
he would pay for himself and Ai at dinner tonight came from the   
savings he carefully hoarded from his wages at the gym teaching   
children Akido on the weekends and, once in a while, an evening   
Bushido class for a few business men.  
  
It was the same job which had, indirectly, led to he and Ai   
going to dinner at a restaurant where traditional dress was the   
norm. Mataeo glanced at the clock and, seeing that it would be a   
while before his friends were due to arrive, sat down to wait.   
Thinking about the planned acitivities for the evening Mataeo's   
musings led eventually to remembering how he had met Tenchi and   
Ryouko.  
  
  
It was back at the beginning of January, before the start of   
the spring half-semester classes he and Ai had been forced by   
scheduling delays to take instead of full term ones. Tenchi and   
Ryouko had taken the same schedule, though out of preference   
rather than from lack of options. Mataeo took Ai to the gym a few   
days after being hired on to teach the Akido classes so she could   
see the place. She was over on one of the weight machines while   
he worked his way through a kata and noticed, in mid-kick, Tenchi   
and Ryouko standing against one wall, watching him. They would   
have stuck out even had the gym not been fairly uncrowded. Cyan   
haired women and long-haired Japanese men were not a common sight.   
Mataeo found out later that Ryouko had been trying to talk Tenchi   
into challenging him to a match and Mataeo was glad now that she   
eventually succeeded.  
  
Tenchi was good, but Mataeo could tell he had done most of   
his training with a weapon. With a sword in his hands Mataeo   
didn't think he would have had much of a chance against Tenchi,   
but open handed the fight was weighted more heavily in his   
direction. Mataeo didn't recognize the style Tenchi used,   
something like tai-chi, and he had yet to get his friend to   
divulge so much as the name, only that he learned it from his   
grandfather. Whatever it was, the technique was solid and Tenchi   
was fast, but Mataeo had studied Akido for most of his life. It   
was a long, grueling match, but eventually Mataeo found himself   
holding Tenchi pinned to the mat, one hand poised over his throat,   
as Ai, Ryouko, and a dozen other gym patrons who had interrupted   
their workouts to watch came forward clapping and offering praise   
for the show.  
  
As Mataeo helped Tenchi back to his feet the strange young   
man stunned him by asking, "Will you teach me?" Mataeo had had   
opponents ask to be taught before, but never one who he had to try   
so hard to defeat, and Tenchi didn't even know he was a teacher.   
Eventually he bowed and agreed, asking later why Tenchi had chosen   
him when there were so many others in the area who were better   
know. "Because you can beat me," Tenchi replied simply, "In all   
the years I learned from my grandfather I never won against him,   
not once. Others might have the technical ability, but   
Grandfather would say you have the heart of a warrior."  
  
Since then their friendship had grown to extend outside of   
the gym. Mataeo was majoring in engineering, but he shared some   
of the more basic classes with Tenchi. Ai was in foreign studies,   
she wanted to become a translator, and since Ryouko seemed to have   
an amazing aptitude for picking up on foreign customs they got   
along well. About a month after school started the Masakis   
invited them out to dinner. Not that they called themselves the   
Masakis. Ryouko's name was Hakubi, though she always looked   
distantly wistful when she admitted it, and Sasami's was Jurai,   
but Mataeo and Ai usually referred to their friends as 'the   
Masakis' when they were alone. It suited the trio. They went out   
to a little place in a relatively undeveloped part of town that   
Tenchi said they had stumbled across accidentally. Mataeo didn't   
see how they had found it at all, there wasn't even a sign   
outside. In any case, stepping through the low doorway of the   
little restaurant was like walking back in time. Inside   
everything was decorated in traditional style, the light came   
candle-lit paper lanterns and a few oil lamps, everyone from the   
waitresses to the patrons dressed in traditional styles, and most   
evenings there was a Noh performance. The owners of the place had   
even somehow procured a permit to allow their customers to wear   
swords. Mataeo chuckled at the memory of being presented with a   
waiver at the door and his reaction to the 'waives the right to   
prosecute the establishment in the event of injury during a sword   
fight while on the premises' line.  
  
Now they went there once a week, occasionally skipping a week   
when school pressed in too heavily on their time. Sasami joined   
them a few times, but she was not as caught up in the mystique of   
ancient Japan as the rest of them so usually elected to skip it.   
Mataeo and Ai had discussed Sasami a few times between themselves,   
but still had been unable to figure out the relationship between   
the teenage girl, Tenchi, and Ryouko. She said she was sixteen,   
though she looked closer to nineteen, and Tenchi and Ryouko were   
both twenty-one, so it was physically impossible for her to be   
their daughter. There was absolutely no resemblance between her   
and either of them, so she obviously was neither's sister. The   
three of them always said Sasami was Tenchi's cousin, but never   
offered any explanation as to why she was living with the two of   
them, or why she had transferred in the middle of the school year   
from Kurashiki to a highschool here in Tokyo to do it. But then,   
there were a lot of odd little things about the Masakis and Mataeo   
had gotten used to ignoring them. Tenchi was the best friend   
Mataeo had ever had, mostly because his father's position at his   
company intimidated the parents of other children and Mataeo   
rarely had anyone to play with as a child. Ai was very close to   
Ryouko as well, which was somewhat odd for Ai since she normally   
didn't make friends with other women, she thought most women were   
too timid. So when one of the Masakis said something bizarre or   
some odd new facet of their lives popped up, Mataeo and Ai tried   
their best to ignore it. There was, for instance, the fact that   
previous to moving to Tokyo the three of them apparently lived   
with Tenchi's father and grandfather, Sasami's older sister,   
Ryouko's mother, and some other woman named Mihoshi. It wasn't   
really odd for a large family to live in the same house of course,   
especially since Tenchi's family was Shinto, but Mataeo had no   
idea how Mihoshi fit in. Or why Sasami and her sister lived with   
their distant cousin rather than their parents who were,   
apparently, still alive. The whole 'mommy Misaki' and 'mommy   
Funaho' thing Mataeo chose not to touch, he didn't think he wanted   
to know the story behind that. Then there was Ryou-ohki. Sasami   
seemed extremely attached to Ryou-ohki, though whether Ryou-ohki   
was an animal or a person neither Mataeo nor Ai could discern.   
  
And to top it all off, they were rich. At least, Mataeo was   
fairly sure they were. Tenchi never flashed wads of Yen or   
anything, but an apartment in Tokyo the size of theirs must cost a   
small fortune. Mataeo, coincidentally enough, lived in the same   
building, but his apartment was on the ground floor and only   
slightly larger in total than their livingroom. What had really   
convinced him was when Tenchi quietly offered one day to pay plane   
fare for Mataeo and Ai to go home for the summer. He didn't know   
how well off Mataeo's father was, which was mainly because Mataeo   
didn't like talking about it and usually tried to spend as little   
of his parent's money as possible. They had refused their   
friend's generous offer, of course, but Mataeo knew it had been in   
earnest and that if he were to ask now Tenchi would still follow   
through on it. He knew how much plane tickets back to Hong Kong   
would have cost, and it was not cheap. His father had made a   
similar offer, which had also been politely refused. Not that   
Mataeo and Ai did not want to go home for the summer, they missed   
their families as much as anyone would, but neither liked spending   
their parents' money and since Mataeo was dead set against   
indenting himself any further to his father Ai decided to stay in   
Tokyo with him.  
  
Mataeo's thoughts shifted focus to center around Ai and he   
sighed. He wished he could give her what she wanted. It seemed   
like every time they were together anymore she would start hinting   
around, and sometimes just bluntly stating, that she wanted to   
move in with him. He knew it was a logical move, the savings on   
bills alone would justify it. And he did want to move their   
relationship along, he had been with Ai for a long time now and   
knew he would never find anyone better, but somehow the thought of   
inviting her to live with him just did not seem right. Whenever   
she brought it up he would get flustered and try to change the   
subject or just leave outright. He knew how it hurt her and   
wished he understood why he was doing it, but he just couldn't   
seem to bring himself to even think seriously about it without   
getting nervous.  
  
The knock at Mataeo's door startled him out of his musings   
and he realized he had been sitting there for a half hour dwelling   
on the past and his current problems. Grabbing his keys and   
wallet Mataeo headed for the door to greet his friends. Tenchi   
was in his usual grey, black, and red kimono. He had mentioned   
that he would need to get another one what with the changing   
seasons, and actually the colors were already out of style for the   
season, but he looked so natural in them that Mataeo had trouble   
picturing Tenchi in anything brightly colored. Ryouko, on the   
other hand, was wearing one of her numerous yukata, a slightly   
off-white summer kimono decorated with a subtle pattern of lily   
blossoms in navy blue.  
  
"Evening Mat," Tenchi greeted his friend with a small bow,   
"Ready?"  
  
Mataeo nodded saying, "Yep, I called Ai a while ago and she   
said she would be ready when we got there. Sasami not coming   
tonight?"  
  
"She's out with her friends," Tenchi explained. Mataeo   
thought he saw a flash of something cross Ryouko's features when   
Tenchi said it, but she smiled again and he forgot about it   
quickly.   
  
When they piled into Tenchi's car, another reason Mataeo   
thought the Masakis must have money, he noticed that Tenchi was   
wearing his sword again. The only other time he had worn it there   
had been trouble and Mataeo hoped there wouldn't be a repetition   
of that. A fair portion of the male patrons he saw there wore a   
sword, but they were generally just decorative. Mataeo knew that   
Tenchi's sword was far from decorative, he'd seen proof of that   
with his own eyes.  
  
  
The last time Tenchi had worn his sword to the restaurant   
another man, reeking of sake, decided to challenged him over it.   
The drunkard said that the very distinctively carved ivory handle   
was clearly from his great-great-great grandfather's collection   
and that Tenchi had no right to carry it. Tenchi had looked up   
from their table and said that it was a gift from his grandfather   
and that while he had no idea how he might have come by the sword   
before giving to him for his birthday, it most certainly was not   
stolen from the man's ancestor and requested that he leave them   
alone. The man had become angry, pulled his own sword, a cheap   
looking thing that he probably bought at a store in the mall, and   
challenged Tenchi to hand over the blade or defend himself.   
Mataeo would never forget the look in Tenchi's eyes as he looked   
up the blade of the drunken man and said, "Put that away, you   
don't want this."  
  
Mataeo knew that if someone had looked at him like that and   
said those words that way, he would have stepped down, no matter   
how much sake he had in him. But the other man was apparently   
either too brave, too drunk, or too stupid. He lunged at Tenchi   
with the sword, but Tenchi whipped himself to the side and the   
blade hit only air. Tenchi rose to his feet when the man started   
waving the sword around again and said, "Put it away, you're going   
to hurt someone."   
  
By then the other patrons had stopped eating and were   
watching the exchange, along with the frightened staff and the two   
toughs the restaurant had to throw out people who did exactly that   
sort of thing. They weren't stupid enough to rush a guy with a   
sword though, no matter how drunk he appeared to be, so they were   
hanging back to see what would happen first.  
  
The man didn't put his weapon away despite Tenchi's second   
warning. He swung it around in a wild arc and Ryouko had to duck   
to avoid it slicing her hair. When Tenchi saw that he growled,   
"That was a mistake."  
  
Mataeo didn't even see the sword out of its sheath. He heard   
the sound of metal on metal, saw Tenchi's hand moving to and from   
the handle of his katana, and saw the other man's blade shatter   
from the impact, but he never saw Tenchi's steel leave its sheath.   
After the drunkard backed away in horror, holding up the jagged   
stump of his toy sword, Tenchi sat back down and apologized for   
interrupting dinner. The toughs grabbed the other man and threw   
him out, but none of the restaurant staff said a word to Tenchi.  
  
* * *  
  
"Excuse me," Ai said as she stood up from the table, "I need   
to go powder my nose." Tenchi blinked, he did not know anyone   
still used that phrase. Ryouko stood up as well, saying, "Me too,   
you boys be good while we're gone."  
  
When the girls were well away Tenchi leaned forward and   
asked, "Why do women always go to the bathroom in pairs? What   
could possibly be so important in there for them to talk about?"  
  
Mataeo laughed, "Don't know Tenchi, I've often wondered that   
myself." Mataeo sighed then, taking a sip from his small,   
steaming cup of sake. His humour vanished entirely as he looked   
back up at Tenchi and said, "You know, I really admire you   
Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi looked at his friend in confusion. Mataeo was   
normally fairly reserved about saying things like that, and in any   
case Tenchi would never have expected Mat to look up to him, of   
all people. Tenchi wished he could get the kind of grades Mataeo   
seemed to earn without even trying, and even after months of   
practice with him Tenchi still could not get the best of his   
friend on the gym mat. "Why me, Mat? What have I ever done   
that's admirable?"  
  
Mataeo chuckled and took another sip of his sake, "What don't   
you do, Tenchi? The rest of us are stumbling through life from   
one spot to the next, just trying to figure out how to get from   
here to there. But you, you walk through life like it's just a   
day in the park."  
  
Tenchi shook his head. Mataeo must have had too much to   
drink, he did that occasionally. "I don't understand Mat, I just   
do what everybody does."  
  
"No, Tenchi," Mataeo said with sudden intensity, "You don't   
do what everybody does. I don't know what it is about you, but   
you're different. Even just with normal things, like Ryouko."  
  
Tenchi chuckled, "Ryouko is most definitely not normal."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, but that's what I mean," Mataeo said leaning   
forward across the table, "Look at you two. You're barely in   
college and yet you're like an old married couple. Then here I   
am, Ai all over me all the time to let her move in with me, and I   
don't even know why I don't say yes! I think she even thinks I'm   
cheating on her because anymore every time we're together she   
starts in on me about commitment and I run. What I wouldn't give   
to be you for a day, Tenchi. It's like you've got everything all   
planned out and you're just going along the path."  
  
"I don't have anything planned out Mataeo," Tenchi said   
gently, "Believe me. I don't even know what I'm doing after   
college. And I don't do anything special with Ryouko," Tenchi   
shrugged uncomfortably, he had trouble talking about their   
relationship with other people, "I just do what feels right."  
  
Mataeo shook his head, "That's just it Tenchi. The rest of   
us can't do that. If we did everything that felt right we'd end   
up living out in a ditch somewhere, but you do it and everything   
turns out great in the end. Most guys would give their right arm   
for a girl like Ryouko, but she fawns all over you and you just   
take it all in. Most parents can barely control their teenage   
kids, if they can at all, but you give your cousin, or whatever   
Sasami is, the word and she jumps. You fight like somebody out of   
an old story, you've learned Akido in a few months almost as well   
as I have in half my life, and after months of asking old men at   
the gym I still haven't found anybody who knows where the hell you   
learned that other style. Who Are you Tenchi? Some kind of god   
come back to live with us mortals? What?"  
  
Tenchi shook his head and absently moved the bottle of sake   
out of Mataeo's reach. "I'm nobody, Mat. I'm just a guy like   
everybody else. I had some weird stuff happen to me a few years   
ago, and I moved on. Would you believe I knew Ryouko for four   
years before I fell in love with her? I never know what to say to   
her and half the time I feel like I'm taking her for granted.   
Sasami listens to me because she wants to, not because I do   
anything special. The only thing I do any different than anybody   
else is that I stopped just letting things happen to me. Two   
years ago you wouldn't have admired me, you would have wanted to   
hit me over the head for being so passive.   
  
"If you want to fix what's wrong between you an Ai, tell her   
how you feel. Let her move in with you, you won't regret it.   
I've seen you two together, you're not going to find someone   
better than her any sooner than I'm going to find someone better   
than Ryouko. We're damn lucky guys Mat, and the only difference   
between you and me is that I went through some really weird stuff   
that made me wake up and stop letting life happen to me while I   
watched and wished I could do something about it."  
  
Mataeo sighed and sat back, "I wish it were that easy,   
Tenchi."  
  
"It Is that easy." Tenchi leaned over and poked his friend   
in the chest, "You know deep down you want Ai to move in with you.   
You're nervous because it's new and different and you're afraid   
you'll screw it up."  
  
Mataeo sighed, "I think part of it is because of my Dad.   
We've lived in Hong Kong most of my life, but he comes from a very   
traditional family. He wouldn't even talk to me for most of a   
month when he found out I was dating Ai outside a group and   
without him talking to her father. Mom isn't so bad about stuff   
like that and she eventually talked him around to being okay with   
it, but I think he would disown me if Ai moved in before we were   
married. He'd probably disown me right now if he knew I stay over   
at her place some nights. His marriage to mom was arranged before   
she was born but they were never alone together until after the   
ceremony, I don't even want to think about how he'd react if he   
knew about me and Ai."  
  
"Well how do you feel about it?" Tenchi asked carefully.   
His father had always told him that traditions like that were   
silly, that love was what really mattered, but he knew a lot of   
his fellow countrymen still took it very seriously.  
  
"I don't know," Mataeo sighed, "I don't think there's   
anything wrong with living with someone before you're married if   
you're in love... I guess that's kind of western of me, but does   
anybody really take that kami stuff seriously anymore? Our whole   
society is full of people who want one thing and do another   
because it's what's proper and expected. Now here I am, stuck   
wanting to get closer to Ai but holding myself back because of   
tradition. And even though I pretty much know that's what it is   
now, it's like there's nothing I can do about it."  
  
"Believe me, Mat, I know how you feel."  
  
"So how do you deal with it?"  
  
"I don't," Tenchi sighed, "I just do seems right and hope   
it's the right thing to do."  
  
Mataeo snorted and Tenchi shook his head, "When Ai gets back   
from the bathroom, tell her you want her to move in. Do it now,   
while you're too drunk to be nervous. If you let it go eventually   
she's going to stop asking and you're going to regret it for the   
rest of your life. Trust me, I know all about regretting letting   
things wait."  
  
"Alright," Mataeo sighed, "Maybe you're right. But I'll only   
do it right here and now if you'll tell me what happened to you.   
I want to know where you come from Masaki."  
  
Tenchi's head whipped up and his eyes bored into Mataeo like   
a diamond-tipped drill. "What did you call me?" Tenchi's voice   
was low and dangerous, like the time with the drunk guy, but worse   
somehow.  
  
Mataeo shook his head, startled by his friend's sudden shift   
in mood. "Did I say something wrong? You know how I get after a   
few too many of these..." Mataeo held up his empty sake cup and   
tried to grin disarmingly, but it failed miserably under Tenchi's   
penetrating gaze.  
  
"You called me by my family name. Why? Why did you do that   
Mat? You never call me that. Are you Mat?" Tenchi leaned   
forward, his hand going to the hilt of his sword.  
  
Mataeo felt the pleasant mugginess inspired by the sake he'd   
been drinking with dinner drain out of him, leaving him stone cold   
sober. "Woah, Tenchi, calm down. It's your name, right?"  
  
Tenchi stared at him hard and, for a fraction of a second,   
Mataeo thought he saw a green light flashing in his friend's eyes.   
Finally, when Mataeo was afraid he would just stand up and behead   
him right there, Tenchi leaned back and took his hand off of his   
sword. "Never do that Mat, never."  
  
Mataeo's heart slowed gradually as Tenchi remained calm and   
he said, "Alright Tenchi, I won't. That's part of the 'weird   
stuff' too, right?"  
  
Tenchi nodded distractedly, "Yeah. Something like that."  
  
* * *  
  
"How do you do it Ryouko?"  
  
Ryouko looked at Ai in the mirror. They both stood at the   
long, marble-topped counter in front of the mirror in the little   
restaurant's women's bathroom. Ai was re-applying her lipstick and   
Ryouko was checking to make sure her hair hadn't escaped the   
careful braid she wore it in when coming here. "Do what?"  
  
Ai sighed and put her lipstick away before saying, "You and   
Tenchi, how do you two do it?"  
  
Ryouko looked at her friend in confusion, not at all sure   
what she was being asked. "Do what?" She repeated.  
  
"You know, how do you two keep it together? You're the same   
age Mat and I are, but it's like you've been married for a decade.   
I can't even get Mat to let me move in with him."  
  
Ryouko shrugged, she'd never really thought about how she   
acted with Tenchi, she just did whatever felt natural. "I don't   
know Ai, I just do.. whatever, you know?"  
  
Ai shook her head sadly, "I wish I did. I love Mat, and he   
loves me, but he's so afraid of commitment... I think he even   
thinks I think he's cheating on me, but I know he's not. I almost   
wish he was, then at least I'd know why he doesn't want to get any   
more serious with me. How did you get Tenchi to invite you to   
live with him?  
  
Ryouko considered the question and how best she might answer   
it. Ai liked talking about relationships and feelings, and thanks   
to her tendency to drive the conversation in that direction Ryouko   
could now discuss Tenchi without finding herself constantly either   
at a loss for words or too embarrassed to say them. Most of the   
time. Ryouko still couldn't bring herself to talk about sex with   
her friend, which Ai liked to tease her about, and then sometimes   
Ai would ask something that Ryouko simply had no answer for. This   
time was one of the latter. Finally Ryouko chuckled and said,   
"That's a really, Really long story Ai, and I don't think it would   
work for you anyway."  
  
Ai looked at Ryouko quizzically, "What do you mean?"  
  
Ryouko sighed, "The way Tenchi and I met was kind of unusual,   
and I wound up living with him before he was really interested in   
me. I guess I can't really give you and advice for getting Mat to   
invite you to move in with him, but I know I chased after Tenchi   
for a long time. One day I stopped chasing so hard and that's   
when I caught up with him."  
  
"So if I stop asking Mat about it, he'll let me move in?"  
  
Ryouko shook her head, "No, that's not really what I mean."   
Ryouko stopped and tried to decide exactly what it was that she   
meant. Usually Ai was the one giving her advice when it came to   
dealing with Tenchi, trying to reverse roles was confusing.   
Suddenly inspiration struck in the form of Washuu.   
  
After Tsunami's words on Christmas night Ryouko had grown   
increasingly anxious about Tenchi asking her to marry him. She   
knew it was silly, that of course Tenchi wanted to marry her and   
was only waiting for the right time to ask. But the more time   
went by, the more she worried that the right time would never   
come, that she would remain Hakubi Ryouko forever. At the time   
she had not yet felt comfortable talking intimately with Ai, and   
could hardly explain about Tsunami in any case, so she went to her   
mother. Washuu helped her realize that she had been so nervous   
about Tenchi never proposing that she had been carefully avoiding   
even mentioning marriage. Since then she had been dropping casual   
hints about it and hoped that, one day, she would have the courage   
to come right out and talk to him about it.  
  
Ryouko realized Ai was staring at her, probably wondering why   
she stopped mid-thought for so long. *This whole friends thing   
certainly takes work,* Ryouko thought randomly, *Especially when   
you can't talk about ninety percent of your life.*  
  
"If you stop talking about it," Ryouko said slowly but with   
growing confidence in her own advice, "He'll probably think you're   
not interested anymore. Men are weird that way, you give them   
what they want and then they forget they wanted it. What I'm   
saying is that you need to think about Why Mat isn't letting you   
move in with him. I wanted Tenchi for a long time, and all I ever   
thought about was how much I loved him and how he should love me   
back. When I felt... When I thought about what he was feeling   
instead of what I was feeling, I realized that by chasing so hard   
I was driving him away. Maybe if you try to figure out why Mataeo   
isn't letting you get closer you can deal with it."  
  
Ai sighed, "I wish I knew what it is. His parents have a   
happy enough marriage and he had a couple of girlfriends before   
me, but he never had any bad break ups or anything."  
  
"Well, maybe he just-" Ryouko stopped in mid-sentence,   
staring at the wall separating them from the dining-room.   
"Tenchi," she gasped, and was halfway to the door before Ai could   
react to her friend's odd behavior.  
  
  
It was all Ryouko could do to keep herself from teleporting   
out into the middle of the restaurant. The fear and anger that   
had surged across their bond had frightened her, but not half as   
much as what she sensed even without the link established by her   
gems. Tenchi had, for just a moment, channeled Jurai energy. In   
the months since Christmas he had not touched it once and Ryouko   
had not tried very hard to make him. That night had shaken him   
badly. He wept uncontrollably for hours after he came to and told   
her that he had been conscious and aware through the whole thing,   
but unable to control his own body.   
  
When she let him feel the power flowing through her body when   
she regained the gems Ryouko had unknowingly opened a dam in   
Tenchi's mind that even he did not know existed. His control over   
his link to the Jurai power faltered for a moment and it surged   
in, overwhelming his limited ability to focus it. He told her it   
was like having a wild animal in his head, tearing around and   
around with no way for him to stop it. He would have killed her,   
he told her in a halting voice between sobs, he would have killed   
all of them if Tsunami had not been attracted by the massive   
concentration of power. The Jurai power is only a force, it has   
no will one way or another, but Tenchi told her that when it   
entered his body it demanded to be used. So much of it had   
flooded into him that night that he had no way to control it, it   
took over his mind and his body and sought to lash out at anything   
nearby. Because of the knowledge of her own powers stored within   
Tenchi's memories it chose her as the most potentially harmful   
target. Since then he had been afraid to touch his gift, afraid   
that if he opened himself to it, even a tiny bit, it would flood   
through his control again and take over, and this time Tsunami   
would not be there to stop it. Ryouko couldn't think of anything   
that would have made him change his mind while she was in the   
bathroom talking to Ai, but the energy in the air was   
unmistakable.  
  
Ryouko tried to rush back to the diningroom but got caught   
between three arguing cooks. //Tenchi,// she sent while trying to   
extricate herself, //Are you okay? What's happening out there?//  
  
His answer was long, tense moments in coming but finally he   
returned, //It's alright Ryouko, Mat called me Masaki and I   
overreacted.// Images flashed through Ryouko's mind along with   
the words, memories of confronting Shiko in the guest bedroom last   
year, of the horrible thing that had used his face stalking toward   
them in the hallway afterward, of the bruises covering most of   
Aeka's body that took months to heal.  
  
//You... You didn't hurt him, did you Tenchi?// In the time   
since his birthday Tenchi had become a very gentle man, he hated   
causing pain and studied martial arts now only because he was   
almost obsessively concerned with protecting his family from   
Tokimi, but she would never forget the look in his eyes that day   
when she pulled him off of the thing he thought to be his cousin.   
He would have killed him had she not interfered. Once it was done   
and rational thought returned he would have hated himself for it,   
but Ryouko had no doubt that he would have beaten Shiko to death   
with his bare hands had she not pulled him away. The rage that   
burned in his features had been unlike anything she had seen in   
Tenchi before or since. Except for on Christmas, Ryouko realized,   
the awful green portals his eyes had become that night were almost   
exactly like the empty holes of burning anger she had seen in the   
guest bedroom.  
  
//No,// The voice in Ryouko's mind was, as always, her own,   
but she could feel Tenchi's relief, //No, thank the gods I stopped   
myself in time. Mat isn't that thing and I couldn't...// The   
stream of thoughts dissolved into a confusion of emotions, but   
Ryouko knew what he was getting at. Finally getting around the   
angry cooks Ryouko straightened her kimono and walked more calmly   
back out into the diningroom to rejoin Tenchi and Mataeo at the   
table. Tenchi was just finished apologizing to Mataeo when she   
sat down and smiled at them, asking if she had missed anything   
important.  
  
"Nah," Mataeo said with a grin, "Just us guys grunting at   
each other over the last piece of meat." Tenchi laughed and   
Ryouko joined him.   
  
Ryouko was glad Tenchi had found such a good friend here in   
Tokyo. After higschool Tenchi purposefully lost touch with the   
few acquaintances he had there, telling her that he had never been   
particularly fond of them to begin with. Since then she had   
worried that Tenchi might have trouble finding any new friends,   
what with having to keep pretty much everything that had happened   
in the past few years a secret. Ryouko had never really   
considered her own social life, she was happy enough living with   
Tenchi and had never really had any friends anyway. She talked to   
Aeka every few days via a phone call routed through Washuu's lab,   
but it had come as a surprise when she found herself warming up to   
Fujihara Ai.   
  
Ai reminded Ryouko a lot of herself in ways, she didn't take   
crap from anybody and was almost fanatically devoted to Mataeo.   
She was also a very skilled conversationalist and Ryouko seemed to   
end up telling her more than she meant to every time they talked,   
like nearly mentioning her temporary empathy during the   
conversation in the bathroom. She had not let slip anything   
important so far, but Ai did drag more about her emotions and her   
relationship with Tenchi out of her than Ryouko would have thought   
possible. One of these days Ryouko knew they were going to have   
to either tell Mataeo and Ai the truth or end the friendship, but   
she could not decide which would be worse.  
  
"Uh oh Mat, here she comes. Well, what's it going to be?   
Going to take my advice or not?" Tenchi pointed discretely at Ai   
as she approached from the hallway leading to the bathrooms.   
Ryouko arched an eyebrow but did not ask.  
  
"I dunno Tenchi, you pretty much knocked the sake right out   
of me. If I do it will you live up to your end? Tell me what   
happened?"  
  
Tenchi looked uncomfortable and said slowly, "I... I don't   
know if I can do that Mat, but I promise I'll think about it."  
  
"Then I'll think about my end too."  
  
Tenchi grimaced but tried to hide it as Ai sat down.  
  
//What was that about?// Ryouko asked silently.  
  
//We were talking about life, Mataeo's worried that he's   
losing Ai because he's afraid to let her move in. I told him to   
do it now, before it's too late. He said he would, but only if   
I'd tell him what happened to me over the past few years.//  
  
Ryouko expressed the mental equivalent of a comforting hug   
across their bond and sent, //You know we have to tell them   
eventually. We can't hide it forever, and when Sasami and I never   
get any older someone's bound to figure it out.//  
  
Tenchi sighed silently and sent, //Yeah, but how do you tell   
your best friends that you've been lying to them for months?//  
  
"If I didn't know better I'd swear you two were telepathic or   
something." Ryouko and Tenchi started at Ai's sudden observation   
and turned to look at her.  
  
"What.. what makes you say that, Ai? Was I bending a   
chopstick or something?" Tenchi grinned nervously and picked up   
one of his eating utensils, peering along the length at Mataeo.  
  
"No," Ai said seriously, "But the way you two stare at each   
other sometimes... It's like your having a conversation nobody   
else can hear. And the way you said Tenchi's name and ran out of   
the bathroom, it was spooky."  
  
"Sorry, Ai, I didn't mean to upset you."  
  
//See?//  
  
//They're on to us,// Tenchi returned jokingly, //We'll have   
to put them in Washuu's stasis pod and replace them with replicas   
before they expose our plot to take over the world.//  
  
* * *  
  
"You want us to wait here, or you going to stay the night?"   
Tenchi grinned at Mataeo where he stood on the sidewalk outside of   
Ai's apartment.  
  
"I don't know if I'll stay the night," Mataeo said   
thoughtfully, ignoring his friend's humorous tone, "But I think I   
need to talk to her for a while. You two go on, I'll catch a bus   
home if I need to."  
  
Tenchi nodded and waved, "Good luck, and remember what I said   
before."  
  
"Yeah," Mataeo replied seriously, "I'll remember. Hey, if   
I'm not at my place call over here before you leave tomorrow   
alright? Ai won't be happy if she doesn't get to say goodbye   
before you're gone for the summer."  
  
Tenchi chuckled and agreed, "Sure thing Mat, talk to you   
tomorrow."  
  
* * *  
  
Kiyone glanced toward the bathroom door when the shower   
stopped running and said quickly into her comm screen, "Alright,   
I'll do it this one last time. But if this one doesn't work, I   
want you to give up on this, Washuu. None of your ideas have   
helped so far, and if we keep messing with her head she's going to   
figure it out."  
  
The reddish-pink haired scientist nodded in the screen and   
said, "If this one doesn't work I promise I won't try anything   
else for a while."  
  
"That's not what I said! I want you to quit trying to make   
Mihoshi remember, period. Not just for a while. If she ever   
remembers on her own, good for her, but if this one doesn't work I   
want you to leave her alone."  
  
Washuu grimaced and grumbled, "You don't understand,   
Kiyone..."  
  
"Maybe not," Kiyone agreed, "But I know that if this keeps   
up Mihoshi's going to end up hurt. Uh oh, here she comes, gotta   
go."  
  
Kiyone cut the comm link just as Mihoshi stepped out of the   
bathroom, immodestly naked and toweling her hair dry. "Who was   
that, Kiyone?"  
  
"Just Washuu," Kiyone said quickly, looking around for   
something to look at besides her partner and finally settling on   
the window screen, "She wanted to make sure we were still coming   
back tomorrow."  
  
"I'm glad we're going back," Mihoshi's voice was muffled by   
the towel as it fell all over her face while she tried to get it   
wrapped around her hair, "Patrols are so Boring..." Mihoshi   
continued struggling with the towel, which managed to get caught   
under her chin so that when she tried to pull it up and off of her   
face it only strangled her.  
  
"Mihoshi," Kiyone sighed and got up to go help the blonde,   
"You're the only person I know who can get stuck in a towel."   
Mihoshi grinned at her when Kiyone pulled the towel free and   
wrapped it around her partner's head properly.  
  
"Thanks Kiyone. I'm glad you're my partner, I screw stuff up   
a lot less when you're around."  
  
Kiyone flushed and looked down, only to feel her blush deepen   
when she realized she was staring at Mihoshi's chest. She quickly   
looked back up and thought, *It's not like that. I'm not like   
that. She's my partner, that's all. I'm not interested in her   
that way, she's just... Just a cute girl. It's okay for a woman   
to notice another woman is cute. And even if I Were like that I   
couldn't... She's so.. so.. innocent... But I'm Not.*  
  
Kiyone retreated to her bed and lay down, staring firmly at   
the ceiling while Mihoshi got dressed. *I'm not interested in her   
that way,* Kiyone repeated firmly to herself, *I was almost   
married once for crying out loud, I'm not a.. a lesbian. She's   
just my friend, that's all. And I've been so upset since Dad..   
since Dad went away, I haven't had many friends. That's all it   
is.* Kiyone rolled over and stared at the wall.  
  
*And now I have to do this stupid thing for Washuu,* Kiyone   
grumbled inwardly, *I know it's not going to work, I should just   
tell her I tried and it didn't work any better than any of her   
other ideas.* Kiyone sighed, she knew she wouldn't do that. Her   
father had instilled in her too strong a sense of honor to allow   
for anything like that, and deep down she really did hope that   
this time it would work. In the months since being assigned to   
Mihoshi and agreeing to help Washuu Kiyone had begun to share the   
scientist's passion to find out what it was that Mihoshi was   
hiding so thoroughly. She didn't take her desire to know as far   
as Washuu, but she really did want to find out, not only for   
herself but for Mihoshi as well. She knew a lot more about   
Mihoshi's exploits than she admitted to Washuu. Nothing that   
would have helped, but she knew every story about Mihoshi's record   
by heart. She had heard probably a hundred accounts of the   
unobtanium ring bust alone during her career. Kiyone didn't know   
what it was about Mihoshi that so fascinated her, but there was   
just something about the girl...   
  
From the first time Kiyone saw her, just a few seconds on a   
video of a sting operation on a pirate gang, she knew that some   
day she had to be Mihoshi's partner. Now that she had finally   
achieved the goal she discovered that, rather than happiness, she   
only felt sorrow for Mihoshi. The woman used to be the best of   
the best, probably would have wound up the youngest Commissioner   
in history if her career had kept on track, but now she was just a   
bumbling girl with an astounding lucky streak. Kiyone knew she   
yelled at Mihoshi too often, and tried to keep herself from doing   
it, but her father had been the same way and learned habits died   
hard. She was fairly sure Mihoshi understood that, and she was   
always careful to help Mihoshi with whatever she had messed up.   
  
Kiyone sighed again when the chronometer built into their   
desk pinged, it was time for their last patrol this cycle, and   
time for her to put Washuu's plan into action.  
  
* * *  
  
Mihoshi looked around frantically, trying to separate the   
mass of blinking warnings and screaming alarms into individual   
things, but there were so many and they were coming so fast that   
she couldn't do it. "Kiyone! Help! What do I do?!"  
  
Kiyone gritted her teeth and took a deep breath as her   
fingers danced across the controls of Yukinojo, "Clam down   
Mihoshi, we'll be okay if we keep our heads clear. They're coming   
in from vector eight-eight-one by seventeen, just kill your alarms   
and bring the targeting system back up. You know how to do that."  
  
"Oh.. okay, Kiyone," Mihoshi carefully pressed the necessary   
controls and smiled as the mass of warning systems shut down.   
"Yay!"  
  
"Don't get too excited yet, Mihoshi," Kiyone warned, "We   
still have the pirates to deal with."  
  
"Oh, right," Mihoshi continued to carefully touch controls   
one at a time, ordering Yukinojo's automatic weapon systems online   
and targeting the incoming contacts on the sensor display.  
  
Kiyone gripped the edges of her console as the little ship   
rocked with an impact, "We're hit!"  
  
Mihoshi looked around frantically and Kiyone crossed her   
fingers.  
  
"Oh, right," Mihoshi touched the damage control system   
indicator and smiled as the impact warning siren went silent.  
  
"Mihoshi, there, by the fourth moon of that gas giant, six   
more of them!"  
  
Mihoshi cringed away from the constellation of data that   
appeared in the tactical globe as six new contacts lit up from   
behind the moon labeled Callisto. "Wha..what do I do Kiyone?   
There's so many!"  
  
"We've got to run, Mihoshi, there are too many." *Oh god,   
let this work...*  
  
Mihoshi started pecking at the controls again, laying in a   
course away from the incoming pirate vessels. Yukinojo's engines   
built in pitch as they accelerated into suddenly blue-shifted   
stars, but the pirates were gaining anyway.  
  
"Evasive maneuvers, Mihoshi! They're catching up!"  
  
Mihoshi touched a dozen controls in sequence and Yukinojo   
jinked around the next volley of energy blasts. Kiyone's hopes   
rose momentarily, only to be dashed away again when Mihoshi's   
fingers slowed and she looked frantically around at the winking   
controls. She slowly pressed one key, then another, then shook   
her head and buried her face in her hands. "I can't do it,   
Kiyone!" She wailed miserably, "I don't know how and there's too   
many! I'm sorry Kiyone, I'm sorry..."  
  
The impact warning siren came roaring back to life, joined by   
the hull breach klaxon and soon the containment failure warning   
completed the chorus. Kiyone touched a few controls in sequence   
and they fell silent, the blue-shifted stars faded from the   
display screen and the pirate vessels vanished from the tactical   
display. Mihoshi didn't notice though, she still had her face in   
her hands and was begging Kiyone to forgive her for getting them   
killed.  
  
Kiyone got up and went to her partner, patting her back   
gently. "It's okay Mihoshi, they're gone now. It's okay."  
  
Mihoshi looked up, tears streaking her face, "But how...   
They got us, Kiyone, I was too slow and they got us, and.. and..."  
  
Kiyone stumbled when Mihoshi threw her arms around the green-  
haired police woman, clinging to her while she sobbed violently.  
  
*God damn you, Washuu. I knew this was a bad idea. I   
thought for a second there.. but she didn't show any sign of   
remembering this mission at all, and now how do I explain that it   
was all a fake? She thinks she got us killed, how the hell do I   
explain that I tricked her?*  
  
Kiyone put her arms awkwardly around her partner and patted   
Mihoshi's back. She didn't know how she was going to explain   
this, but she pushed that out of her mind and concentrated on   
trying to calm Mihoshi down before she started hyperventilating.  
  
* * *  
  
Despite the purifying waters of the tsukubai the taste of tea   
hung at the back of Katsuhito's mouth. He sat beneath Funaho,   
looking out over the water of her pond in silent meditation.   
  
Katsuhito had been surprised, to say the least, when Washuu   
presented him with the invitation. The small scroll sat now on   
his dresser where he could admire the skillful calligraphy at   
leisure, but at the time it had come as a bit of a shock.   
Katsuhito realized long ago, of course, that Washuu was interested   
in him, but affairs of the heart were never his strong suit, as   
both of his past wives pointed out on numerous occasions.   
  
The quiet, careful Washuu who greeted him for the chanoyu was   
a surprise as well. Katsuhito had grown accustom to her   
eccentricities and was more than a little overwhelmed by the   
apparent effort she spent on observing even the fine details of   
the ceremony. Her execution was flawless. Better, Katsuhito   
knew, than he had done as host for tea ceremonies during his first   
hundred years on Earth. When he complimented the food she served   
and her precision in serving the tea it was without any trace of   
guile, and he could see that her concentration and attention while   
handling the fukusa was honest as well.  
  
Katsuhito breathed slowly out through his nose and pushed his   
glasses up absently. He liked to think that after close on a   
millennia of life there were few things that could throw him, but   
Washuu's behavior today had done it efficiently and thoroughly.   
During the time she shared his house Katsuhito had always assumed   
her interest to be primarily playful, more of a diversion than   
anything real or lasting. But what did it say about the   
seriousness of a woman's interest when she practiced a ceremony in   
secret in order to present it to you with memorable skill?  
  
Katsuhito leaned his head back against Funaho's trunk and   
closed his eyes. *It's been a long time since I courted a woman,*   
Katsuhito thought silently, *Do I want to start down that path   
again? And would I even remember the way after all these years?*  
  
From somewhere in the depths of his mind came the voice of   
his second wife, "You've been lonely a long time Katsuhito, is   
your pride so strong you will stay alone forever?"  
  
"I have Tenchi and Noboyuki," Katsuhito replied to he ghost   
haunting his thoughts, "Family is enough company."  
  
"The company of men is not the company of a woman," replied   
the voice of his first wife, "And Noboyuki grows old as you watch.   
Tenchi will leave with Ryouko someday to see the universe you have   
given up, will you still be content to remain alone then?"  
  
"I have watched two wives grow old and die, I want no more   
pain."  
  
"But she will never grow old, Yousho." This time the voice   
was Aeka's. Not the Aeka who would be returning from Jurai soon,   
a young Aeka, remembered from before her Change, "She is far older   
than you and, if she so chooses, will live long after you are   
gone."  
  
"But will she be content with me in that time? I am a simple   
man now with a simple life, I would be only a burden to her."  
  
"You aren't a burden, Lord Katsuhito."  
  
Katsuhito opened his eyes to see Washuu standing at the edge   
of Funaho's island. So involved in his meditations had he been   
that he neither heard her approach nor realized he had spoken   
aloud.  
  
"You catch me unawares, Miss Washuu."  
  
"Just Washuu, please."  
  
"Then call me Katsuhito, Miss Washuu."  
  
Washuu walked closer and sat down next to him on a root of   
the ancient tree. "I'll call you that the day you put away the   
mask of a tragic samurai and let someone else into your life."  
  
Katsuhito was silent for a long time while they sat together,   
watching the waters of the pond ripple this way and that in the   
gentle summer wind.  
  
"I am who I am, Miss Washuu," Katsuhito replied finally.  
  
Washuu stood and turned away from him, her hands folded   
across her chest, and said angrily, "You're an old fool, too set   
in his ways to see what's right in front of him."  
  
"Perhaps, Miss Washuu, but I am who I am."  
  
* * *  
  
"You're right," Ai agreed after Mataeo finished explaining   
what happened while she was in the bathroom, "That's bizarre even   
for Tenchi. And you managed to just sit there and pretend it   
never happened?"  
  
Mataeo leaned back into the cushions of Ai's couch and   
sighed, "What else could I do Ai? Tenchi looked like he was ready   
to kill me, right then, right there. No 'sorry Mat, gotta kill   
you now 'cause I'm a raving lunatic who escaped from a mental   
institution in Okayama' or anything, just this look on his face   
like I'd suddenly turned into his worst enemy. I was really   
scared Ai, Tenchi's never scared me like that before. I don't   
know what happened to him to make him react that way, but it must   
have been really, really bad."  
  
"So what are we going to do? Stop being their friends?"  
  
Mataeo shook his head, "No, I don't want that. Tenchi scared   
the hell out of me tonight, but instead of making me want the   
sensible thing, to run away and not look back, I just want to help   
him. For a second there he looked just as scared as I felt, and   
whatever can do that to Masaki Tenchi is something that doesn't   
need to be wandering the streets."  
  
Ai stopped pacing back and forth across her small livingroom   
and sat down next to her boyfriend on the couch, asking again, "So   
what are we going to do?"  
  
Mataeo scratched the back of his head thoughtfully before   
replying, "I think the first step is to find out just who the hell   
they are. We've ignored, or tried to ignore, all the weird little   
things they do for as long as we've known them. I think they   
really like us, and I know you like being friends with Ryouko as   
much as I like being friends with Tenchi. There's something going   
on here and they need help. You've seen how they get sometimes,   
we'll be talking about something totally normal and then all of a   
sudden, Wham, they get all far away and emotional. People who   
don't have problems, even weird people, don't do that."  
  
"Well," Ai said, trying to apply logic to the problem at   
hand, "What were you two talking about? I know you said you were   
talking about life and all, but what exactly? Maybe it wasn't   
just his family name that set him off, maybe it was something else   
in the conversation that built him up and that just triggered it."  
  
Mataeo looked away nervously and said, "No, I don't think it   
was anything else in the conversation. He was acting pretty   
normal right up until I said I wanted to know where he came from."  
  
"Come on Mat," Ai said taking his hand gently, "Talk to me.   
What's wrong? Every time I've brought up what you were talking to   
Tenchi about tonight you've changed the subject."  
  
Mataeo sighed and looked down at her hands where they were   
folded around his. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly   
before saying in a quiet voice, "Alright, we were talking about   
you. About you moving in with me. And why I'm so nervous about   
it."  
  
"Oh," was all Ai could think of to say. That was the closest   
Mataeo had ever come to contributing to a discussion about their   
living together in which she was a participant. "What... What did   
you talk about?"  
  
Mataeo pulled his hand out of hers and, for a moment, Ai   
thought he was going to run away again, but he only put his elbows   
on his knees and buried his face in his hands. His voice was   
muffled and distant when he replied, "I want to live with you Ai,   
I do. I want us to get married one day and, if you want to, have   
kids together and be a family. I love you, you know that. But   
for some reason I just can't... I can't... And I'm so afraid I'm   
going to lose you because of all this that I end up lying awake   
some nights thinking about it. This is the first time I've ever   
even been able to Talk to you about it and I think that's half   
because of how shaken up I am over what happened at dinner."  
  
Mataeo looked up and Ai saw that there were tears in his   
eyes. "I love you Ai, and that should be enough. But somehow it   
just isn't. I don't understand why, but it isn't."  
  
Ai's heart lurched at the sight of Mataeo crying. Mataeo   
never cried. Even when his grandmother died he didn't cry. "Oh   
Mat, I'm so sorry," Ai put her arms around him and held him   
tight, "I didn't know... I thought you were just nervous and if I   
kept asking you'd get over it... I didn't know it hurt, I'm so   
sorry..."  
  
* * *  
  
Aeka ran her fingers reverently over the supple wood of the   
frame holding a photo of her family clustered beneath Funaho. Her   
makeup, so carefully applied before the audience, was now a   
streaked ruin from the combination of tears and failed attempts to   
remove those tears without smearing.  
  
"You bring dishonor to your house and shame to the council of   
Jurai," the councilor's words still rang in her head and Aeka   
wondered if they would ever stop. Aeka knew that change would be   
hard to enact within the government of an empire as long lived as   
Jurai's, but she had hoped that with the help of a few like-minded   
councilors and the support of her family she could overcome.   
Unfortunately there did not seem to be any like-minded councilors,   
and even the support of her parents flagged.  
  
Funaho had been excited by Aeka's ideas at first, but as time   
went on and it became increasingly obvious that Jurains not only   
were happy with the status quo, they didn't even seem to be aware   
there Was a status quo, her excitement turned to quiet support,   
and finally to silent disinterest. Azusa wanted only to please   
the people and told his daughter that she could do as she wished   
in the council so long as it was to the common good, but would not   
lend his powerful voice to her cause. After the uproar caused by   
his pronouncements about mixing Jurain blood with that of other   
races he seemed only to want to work his way back into the hearts   
of the people before his time to step down from the throne came.   
Misaki, for her part, unfalteringly supported Aeka at every turn,   
but Aeka had been dismayed to discover that Misaki's opinions did   
not count very highly at court.   
  
The audience had started out so well, the councilors all   
listening attentively as she laid out what she saw as the   
fundamental problems with Jurain government and how they could be   
readily fixed. But when she began the taemag, the ritual showing   
she was open to the questions of her fellow councilors, it all   
turned bad. Lord Yotoshi accused her of trying to dethrone her   
own father in order to instate herself as queen before her time.   
Lord Mihoru said that her ideas for eliminating prejudice between   
the royal families and normal citizens were juvenile and ill   
conceived. Then Lady Utanai stood and delivered the scathing   
oratory that ending in the words which now reverberated through   
Aeka's mind like a struck gong. The female councilor not only   
reiterated her male counterparts' statements but added that Aeka   
was betraying the sacred trust given their people by Tsunami, that   
she had sullied her blood by associating with savages from   
backward worlds, and finally that she was unfit to stand as a   
councilor and should be stricken from court.  
  
Azusa intervened then, denouncing Lady Utanai's claims that   
Earth was a backward world of savages and affirming that he felt   
his daughter fully capable of functioning on the council, but his   
unwillingness to sway against the will of the majority held him   
from saying anything in defense of her views.  
  
Tomorrow Aeka would be leaving by portal to return to Earth   
and she was wondering now if she would ever return. She had such   
high hopes after her last visit to her home in Okayama, her mind   
full of visions of a bright future and almost able to hear the   
cheers of support she had imagined gaining from the council. But   
now all those things were gone, dashed away by the spectacular   
failure of her presentation today. There would be no   
restructuring of Jurain government, no grand changes in social   
custom to bring the royal houses together with the citizens of the   
empire. It had all been a beautiful dream but, as Aeka now knew,   
dreams could not stand in the face of harsh reality.   
  
*Soon Sasami will be Tsunami,* Aeka thought, *And will be a   
more fit ruler than I could ever hope to become. Lady Utanai was   
right, I'm a dreaming child with her feet too far out on the   
branch. I will return to Earth tomorrow and stay there. I'll   
watch Sasami grow up in spirit to match her body and, when she is   
ready, I will perform the mitagi and pass my birthright on to her.   
Jurai needs a strong hand to rule over it, and I am nothing but a   
weak-kneed seed plucker.*  
  
Aeka covered her eyes to keep from seeing the mess she had   
made of her face in the mirror and felt the moisture of fresh   
tears against her fingers. As Aeka unwillingly watched the events   
of the day running through her mind once more her mouth began to   
move. The words were buried deep in her memory, in a black pit   
that she shied away from while awake but seemed to drift ever   
nearer in her nightmares. "Gae na itao, shimnae na itao. Mimka   
so naminagi shu." She whispered it softly twice in the old tongue   
before saying it again in the Japanese of her new home, "I am   
nothing, I am dishonor. May the blade of atonement be true upon   
my flesh."  
  
Aeka did not remember speaking them afterward, no more than   
she remembered when Tokimi's servant forced her to say them before   
carving them into her arms.  
  
* * *  



	3. Destiny

**Note**  
**This is chapter three of On Pale Wings I Fly. If you have not  
**read chapter one, you are in the wrong place. Otherwise, all  
**the disclaimers and such from chapter one apply here as well.  
**-- Krin (krin@hotmail.com)  
**/Note**  
  
-- three --  
destiny  
  
There is nothing, Tenchi realized, quite as odd as having the   
music from that American movie with the shark playing through your   
mind of other than your own volition whilst a cyan-haired woman in   
a rather skimpy bikini attempts to pull you under the water.  
  
Not that he was complaining, of course.  
  
//No fair!// Tenchi sent to his submerged lover, //You don't   
have to breath!//  
  
//No,// Ryouko agreed as she finally succeeded in pulling him   
under, //But neither do you.// Ryouko locked her lips around   
Tenchi's and fed him a breath of the air she had stored in her   
mainly cosmetic lungs for the purpose.  
  
  
Tenchi broke the surface and swam toward the pool's edge,   
leaning against it and looking up at the stars through the dome of   
the floating onsen while he caught his breath. Ryouko phased into   
being beside him a moment later and asked, "Why'd you swim away?   
Did I do something wrong?"  
  
Tenchi shook his head and smiled, "No, nothing you did dear.   
I just can't breath well underwater. You're a lot prettier than a   
snorkel, but it just doesn't feel right and I lost my breath."  
  
Ryouko smiled and floated up to him, pulling one of Tenchi's   
arms around her shoulders and resting her head on his chest. "I'm   
glad mom left the pool in, swimming in the lake always made my   
hair feel gritty for days."  
  
Tenchi chuckled and ran his fingers through her damp tresses   
where they hung limp down her back. It was a hot night and since   
Mihoshi and Kiyone had not arrived yet and Washuu was busy with   
the final preparations for portalling Aeka in from Jurai he and   
Ryouko decided to steal a few moments alone in the onsen. Though   
he supposed it could not really be called that anymore, what with   
much of the space being taken up by the big, tiled, cool-water   
pool. They would all have arrived by tomorrow morning and Tenchi   
was sure life would resume the hectic jumble it had always been   
with them all in the house, but tonight was his and Ryouko's   
alone. They had not really been alone, he realized, more than a   
few hours at a time in months. Either they were out of the   
apartment at school or with Mataeo and Ai, or they were home with   
Sasami and, sometimes, her friends.  
  
Tenchi looked down at the woman in his arms and smiled.   
There was something he had been meaning to do for months now, but   
somehow the time never seemed right. Maybe this was it.  
  
"Ryouko?"  
  
Ryouko looked up at the sound of her name and smiled back at   
him with half-lidded eyes. "Last time I checked."  
  
"Ryouko, I..." Tenchi trailed off, his courage suddenly   
gone, washed away by her voice like footprints on the beach as the   
tide came in. He so wanted to ask her, but something held him   
back. He just could not do it. But he had to say something, he   
had started and she was waiting, "I love you."  
  
Ryouko nuzzled her head back against his chest and murmured,   
"I love you too, Tenchi."  
  
*Why can't I ask her,* Tenchi raged at himself, *What's wrong   
with me? I love her. I love her with all my heart and soul, but   
I can't ask her a simple question! Am I becoming the boy I was   
last year all over again? Next month I'll be twenty-two, a year   
since Ryouko sacrificed her powers for me and helped me find my   
way out of my hole. Am I going to reward her now by crawling back   
into it?*  
  
Tenchi sighed inwardly, he knew it was not that. Life still   
seemed bright and full of the promise of new adventures, not dull   
and gray like it had a year ago. *I'm as bad as Mat,* Tenchi   
thought sullenly, *I know what I want and I know what it would   
mean to the woman I love to take that step, but I'm holding myself   
back without even understanding why.*  
  
"It's a shame Mat and Ai aren't here," Ryouko said quietly,   
startling Tenchi out of his thoughts.  
  
*Was she listening to me? No, she can't do that... She only   
heard my thoughts on Christmas because the connection was still   
establishing itself, Washuu explained all that. Must just be a   
coincidence.*  
  
"Mmm," Tenchi replied noncommittally.  
  
"What?" Ryouko looked up at his face, "You don't think it   
would be nice having them out here for the summer?"  
  
Tenchi shrugged uncomfortably, "I don't know. They're our   
friends, and it Would be nice having all of our friends together   
for the summer. But I feel so bad about having to lie to them all   
the time. I wish we could just tell them the truth and have done   
with it, but there are so many things that could go wrong if we   
did."  
  
"Yeah," Ryouko sighed, "I guess you're right." Ryouko   
pulled away from him then, floating back slightly out into the   
waters of the pool. Tenchi noticed absently that she was not   
actually swimming, just hovering in place in the water, her feet   
hanging motionless meters above the pool floor. Ryouko grinned at   
him and said playfully, "But tonight's our night, right? No more   
depressing talk, okay?"  
  
Tenchi nodded and let go of the pool's edge to swim out to   
her, but Ryouko drifted continually out of his reach. "You know I   
never actually learned to swim?" Ryouko asked casually, reaching   
around behind her back. "Want to teach me, Tenchi?"  
  
Tenchi was about to agree when Ryouko tugged the string   
holding her top on, letting the little piece of brightly colored   
material float away from her body across the pool. "What do you   
say, Tenchi?" Ryouko asked, holding her hands demurely over her   
breasts and looking at him coyly, "Wanna teach me how to stay on   
top in the water?"  
  
* * *  
  
Sasami sighed and transferred another armload of clothes from   
her suitcase into the cylindrical Jurain cabinet.  
  
*I'll call him tomorrow,* Sasami thought silently, *And I'm   
sure he'll apologize. I mean, what did he expect?* Sasami   
abandoned her clothes and tossed herself down on her futon.  
  
*Eto you idiot, why'd you have to try to kiss me?* Sasami   
rolled onto her side and stared at the futon lying next to hers.   
*I bet Aeka knew what would happen. She must have known, she said   
she had the same lessons I did.* Sasami sighed again, she   
couldn't blame it on her sister. If she had just said no right   
away like she knew she should have it never would have happened.   
If she'd told Eto she wasn't that kind of girl when he put his   
hand on her waist and grinned at her like that everything would   
still be okay, probably. He might be a little miffed that she   
turned him down, but at least she would not have slapped him.  
  
*I can't Believe I slapped him,* Sasami thought in   
frustration, rolling back onto her back, *I didn't even know I was   
going to do it until my hand was halfway to his face.*  
  
"Ugh," Sasami groaned in frustrated disgust, "Why did I have   
to be from a society with a built-in moral defense system? What   
if I'd actually Wanted to kiss him?"  
  
Sasami sighed a third time. "Not that I ever will. Unless   
he comes up with a really good apology. I can't believe he called   
me a bitch."  
  
* * *  
  
"Alright Mihoshi," Kiyone said supportively, resting her   
hand on her partner's shoulder, "Time to start the final   
approach."  
  
Mihoshi nodded and bit her lip in concentration while   
carefully touching the proper controls in the display floating   
before her. Mihoshi paused as she neared the end, her finger   
wavering between three glowing icons. "I... I'm not sure..."  
  
Kiyone squeezed her partner's shoulder silently, thinking,   
*Come on Mihoshi, you can do this.*  
  
"Oh yeah!" Mihoshi exclaimed happily, touching the proper   
control icon, "Yellow is for ground, right Kiyone?"  
  
"That's right Mihoshi, you're doing great. Now what's next?"  
  
"Umm... Lets see..." Mihoshi peered into the complex landing   
graphs now arrayed before her. "Oh, right." Mihoshi coughed to   
clear her throat and stated slowly, "Yukinojo, begin controlled   
descent to defined landing coordinates, controlled descent vector   
Okayama one."  
  
Mihoshi smiled delightedly as the graphs rotated and a bright   
yellow line traced its way from the blinking icon representing the   
Yukinojo down toward the plane representing their destination.   
She leaned back in her control chair and smiled up at Kiyone, "I   
did it Kiyone!"  
  
"You sure did Mihoshi," Kiyone smiled proudly, "You did a   
great jo-"  
  
"Control vector degeneration detected," Yukinojo's voice   
interrupted, "Descent parameters compromised by local airspace   
fluctuations, manual override recommended."  
  
Mihoshi watched the happy graphic of their landing skew out   
into a big, dangerous looking parabola. "What's that mean Kiyone?   
What's going on?"  
  
Kiyone's fingers danced across the control board and she   
frowned, "It means we ran into a thunderstorm and Yukinojo can't   
figure out how to get us down." Kiyone hooked her hair back over   
one ear and smiled confidently at Mihoshi, "You'll have to guide   
us in manually Mihoshi. You remember how to access the override   
controls?"  
  
"I.. I think so," Mihoshi said unsurely, looking between the   
confidence in Kiyone's eyes and the confusingly big control board.   
"It's... This one, right?"  
  
Kiyone nodded and Mihoshi touched the control icon   
cautiously, as though expecting it to bite her. The bulk of the   
control icons shifted aside, replaced by a smaller grid of simple   
square icons.   
  
"Okay Mihoshi, now enter our descent vector."  
  
Mihoshi nodded, slowly gaining confidence, and entered the   
required data. This time the control grid merged into a single   
square, expanding upward into a cube.  
  
"Now," Mihoshi said nervously, looking at her partner for   
reassurance, "I stick my hand in it and tell it where to go,   
right?"  
  
"That's right Mihoshi. Go on, you can do it."  
  
Mihoshi cautiously slid her hand into the glowing cube,   
tilting it at a careful angle and gently curling her fingers.   
Exterior view displays sprang into being around her, each overlaid   
with atmospheric and geo-magnetic data displays to assist in the   
landing. Mihoshi peered back and forth, curling and uncurling her   
fingers to control Yukinojo's rate of descent while guiding the   
ship with slow motions of her hand.  
  
When the Masakis' house hove in view Mihoshi slowed the ship   
to a crawl, relatively speaking, and looked up at Kiyone. "I... I   
don't think I can do it Kiyone, I've always crashed before..."  
  
"It's okay Mihoshi," Kiyone said gently, "I'm here to help,   
and you'll do fine. I believe in you, Mihoshi."  
  
Mihoshi nodded and smiled weakly, slowly increasing the angle   
of descent. Finally, a few hundred meters off the ground, she   
brought the ship to a floating halt and withdrew her hand from the   
control cube, it was trembling visibly. "I can't Kiyone... I'm   
too scared I'll crash again."  
  
Kiyone sighed, "Come on Mihoshi, we've practiced this. It's   
easy, right? Here, put your hand back in the cube and I'll help   
you guide us in, okay?"  
  
Mihoshi looked unconvinced but slid her trembling hand back   
into the amber glow of the control cube. When the ship jittered   
slightly from her trembling Kiyone sighed and leaned across   
Mihoshi to slide her hand in on top of the blonde's. She   
carefully curled her fingers around Mihoshi's and held her   
partner's hand steady while they completed the descent and came to   
a gentle landing on the grass beside the house.  
  
Kiyone turned her head to look at Mihoshi, her face only   
inches away. The blonde police-woman was beaming and said in an   
awed voice, "I... I did it, Kiyone. I landed and nothing blew up   
or anything."  
  
"Yeah," Kiyone said, leaning slowly closer to Mihoshi's face,   
"Yeah, you did."  
  
When Kiyone's eyes slid slowly closed Mihoshi leaned back   
asking in a nervous tone, "Kiyone? What.. what're you doing   
Kiyone?"  
  
Kiyone pulled away, startled, and drew her hand out of the   
control cube, off of Mihoshi's. "I... I..." Kiyone shook her   
head and turned away.  
  
"I'm sorry Mihoshi," Kiyone said softly and walked out of the   
control room toward the aft of the ship.  
  
* * *  
  
"Miya?"  
  
Sasami sat up on her futon when Ryou-ohki phased through the   
door.  
  
"Ryou-ohki! There you are! I looked all over for you when   
we got here but I couldn't find you anywhere!"  
  
Ryou-ohki hopped forward and into Sasami's lap, nuzzling her   
stomach and meowing happily.  
  
"I missed you too, Ryou-ohki. I've got so much to tell you   
about!"  
  
Ryou-ohki hopped back out of her lap and a few feet away from   
the futon. Sasami started to ask where she was going, but then   
the cabbit expanded upward into her humanoid form. She was taller   
now, only by an inch or so since Sasami left for Tokyo, but by   
feet from the toddler form she had taken after gaining the   
ability.  
  
"He..he... Hello, Sasami," Ryou-ohki said haltingly, "I...   
Missed you."  
  
"Ryou-ohki!" Sasami leapt to her feet and grabbed the furry   
young girl in a hug, "You can talk!"  
  
Ryou-ohki meowed in agreement before remembering herself and   
saying in the slow, careful words of someone still struggling with   
the concept, "Only... A little. I... Learned your... Name,   
first." Ryou-ohki smiled and blushed through the thin layer of   
fur covering her face.   
  
"That's so great," Sasami said happily, beaming at her fuzzy   
friend, "Is Washuu teaching you?"  
  
"Miya," Ryou-ohki agreed, "Mommy... Says... I'll know lots...   
Words quick. I... Talk in head... To Ryouko, long time. Now I...   
Learning mouth."  
  
Sasami grabbed Ryou-ohki in another crushing hug and   
exclaimed, "I'm so proud of you Ryou-ohki! Maybe in fall you can   
come to school in Tokyo with me and you can meet all my new   
friends and everything."  
  
"Miya!" Ryou-ohki meowed happily, trying to imitate her   
friend's enthusiastic embrace.  
  
When Sasami released her Ryou-ohki bent and picked up the   
photo her friend dropped when she sat up. "Who... these?"   
  
"Oh," Sasami said, taking the photo and sitting down. She   
patted the space next to her for Ryou-ohki to sit down too and   
then explained, "They're some of the people I met in Tokyo. See,   
this is Ayumi, and this is Miyami."   
  
"Who," Ryou-ohki asked, pointing to the male figure in the   
picture, "Who that?"  
  
"Oh," Sasami wrinkled her nose and said, "That's Eto. He's   
a real ass."  
  
"Ass?"   
  
Sasami giggled and said, "Yeah. I learned that from my   
friends at school, but Tenchi says I shouldn't say it 'cause it's   
not polite. It means..." Sasami paused, trying to think of a   
good definition.  
  
"I... I know, means," Ryou-ohki interrupted, "Ryouko...   
Ryouko use naughty words, lots... In head. Mommy says... I not   
use." Ryou-ohki grinned, "Too much. I mean... why ass?"  
  
Sasami giggled again and said, "He tried to kiss me, then   
called me a bitch when I slapped him. Only I didn't mean to slap   
him, my lessons made me do it."  
  
Ryou-ohki frowned and said, "You right, Sasami. Eto sound...   
Like ass. Bad to... kiss, not ask. What lessons?"  
  
"Oh, you remember when I went to Washuu's lab and Aeka said   
you had to stay outside? I had to get lessons put in my head from   
Jurai that tell me how I should act when I feel funny 'cause of my   
Change, only I wasn't supposed to tell you about 'em." Sasami   
grinned, "Oops, I guess I did."  
  
"Why... Not tell?"  
  
"Aeka says I'm not s'posed to 'cause anybody who's not Jurain   
isn't s'posed to know about 'em. Lots of people know we get 'em,   
but nobody's s'posed to know what they're all about, and mine are   
special 'cause I'm from a royal house, so I'm not even s'posed to   
talk to most Jurains 'bout 'em."  
  
Ryou-ohki frowned in concern and said, "Maybe... Not tell?"  
  
Sasami shook her head, "I don't mind telling you about 'em   
Ryou-ohki. You wouldn't tell anybody else, and you're my best   
friend. If I can't talk to you about 'em, who Can I?"  
  
Ryou-ohki smiled brightly, she liked being friends with   
Sasami. Being Ryouko's sister was nice, but she could barely talk   
to Ryouko for a long, long time because of Kagato. After Ryouko   
got out of the cave they talked some, but Ryouko was so sad   
because Tenchi didn't love her she was not really much fun most of   
the time. Ryou-ohki felt bad for her, but it just was not her   
nature to be sad all the time like that. She wanted to have fun   
and play and Sasami liked those things. Now that Ryouko and   
Tenchi were together Ryou-ohki thought maybe Ryouko would want to   
have fun too, but all she ever talked about was Tenchi and boring   
stuff about school and some friends she made in Tokyo. That's   
really why Ryou-ohki wanted to learn how to talk, although making   
Washuu happy was good too. She wanted to be able to talk to   
Sasami, and since she could not talk to her in her head like she   
could Ryouko, she had to learn how to talk with her mouth.  
  
Ryou-ohki grabbed Sasami for another hug and said the first   
words she had learned, "I love you Sasami. You my best friend."  
  
* * *  
  
Nobuyuki looked up when the door opened and called out, "Hi   
Kiyone! What's a pretty girl like you doing all alone on a night   
like this?"  
  
"Shut up!" Kiyone shouted and ran up the stairs.  
  
"Wow," Nobuyuki said quietly to himself when she was gone,   
"Wonder what got into her."  
  
  
Kiyone slammed the door to the guest bedroom behind her and   
threw herself on the bed angrily. *What the hell was that?* She   
railed silently at herself, *What was I trying to do? Kiss her?   
God damn it, I'm not like that! I'm not!*   
  
Kiyone vented a breath of frustration, half sigh, half growl,   
and stared angrily up at the ceiling. *What would Dad say if he   
knew I tried to kiss a woman? He probably wouldn't talk to me for   
a month! A year!* Kiyone pulled a pillow over her face and   
groaned into it, "Arg, you're such an idiot Kiyone. You finally   
get Mihoshi over the thing with the pirates yesterday with a lie   
about it being a training exercise, and then you go and pull a   
stupid stunt like this. Mihoshi's never going to forget about   
this one, and you can't just call almost kissing her a training   
exercise!"  
  
Kiyone knew, in a way, that she was being irrational. She   
had been a member of the Galaxy Police since her fourteenth   
birthday, the minimum age of enrollment for the academy. Before   
she enrolled she lived with her mother on their home planet,   
Midris, in a little town on a little island. Midris was, in the   
galactic scope of things, a backward world. In a lot of ways it   
was like Earth, really. But, unlike the people of this planet,   
the citizens of Kiyone's home world had exploded into space   
vigorously and not slowed down when they got there. Only decades   
after their first manned space launch they had a generation ship   
headed for the nearest star and more probes fanning out across the   
galaxy than the humans of Earth had launched in the near century   
since their own first rockets. In a century the Midrins had   
developed subspace travel, instantaneous communication, and stasis   
fields for use on extended missions and when they stumbled across   
a Jurain survey ship their spaceward explosion became more like a   
small nova. Midris was nearly depopulated by the rush to the   
stars once they knew there was other intelligent life out there   
waiting. Harsh laws were enacted to keep the planet populated, it   
was ruled that only one person per family would be allowed to   
leave the planet permanently without special government   
permissions that took years to procure. They promised it would   
last only until aliens started coming in and filling up all the   
space left by the outward bound Midrins, but the alien hordes   
never came. There were visitors, of course, and even a good many   
permanent settlers, but Midris was just too much like so many   
other worlds to become any sort of tourist attraction. So now,   
two centuries after the first Midrin spaceflight, the limit was   
set at two per family and there was no sign of it changing soon.   
When Kiyone's father left to join the GP she knew she had to   
follow. Midris was, for her, an unutterably boring place. She   
watched the holo-vids about life on Jurai and Dalris, about the   
Science Academy and the Royal Fleet Yards, and she knew she had to   
go there, see those places with her own eyes. When the   
opportunity finally came, she leapt for it. Kiyone was sad to   
leave her mother behind, but she could never have left Midris even   
without the two-person limit. Kiyone's mother was something of a   
freak on Midris, a person with no wanderlust whatsoever. She was   
content to stay home and watch life passing her by while the rest   
of the world yearned to explore, but for Kiyone and her father   
that simply was not an option.  
  
It was not until she reached Dalris and the Police Academy   
that Kiyone realized how backward her world really was. Despite   
their lust for space the Midrins never really developed,   
culturally, past the point Earth's Americans swept by in their   
1950's. Not that Midris looked like the pastel nightmare Kiyone   
had seen in texts about Earth history she had to study for the Sol   
assignment, her homeworld was one of advanced technology and all   
its trimmings, but socially her people were slightly inept. They   
held to mores that most of the galaxy considered inane at best,   
and downright harmful at worst. There were strict laws about   
things like nudity, language, and sex on Midris and most Midrins   
were quite happy to abide by them. There was no homosexuality on   
Midris, at least not openly. Kiyone supposed there must be some   
gay people on her homeplanet somewhere, but she had never heard of   
one. On worlds like Dalris there was no gender bias, couples   
formed based on love regardless of the sex of their partner and   
people did not look down on one sex or the other as weak or   
inferior. Kiyone knew that that outlook made more sense than her   
own inherently Midrin moral code, she had been friends with a   
number of people at the academy who didn't even fall into a 'male'   
or 'female' gender, either because their race had not evolved that   
way or because their society simply offered more choices through   
creative body enhancement. It was a big, complicated galaxy and   
Kiyone had often struggled to fit her Midrin worldview into the   
society she saw thriving around her, usually failing.   
  
So now, mentally browbeating herself for her actions with   
Mihoshi, she knew deep down that her staunch denial that she was   
attracted to her partner was pointless. She knew she shouldn't be   
hung up on the fact that they were both female, or that her   
father, a very strongly Midrin man, would have disapproved. But   
despite knowing it deep down, she couldn't get past those facts in   
her thoughts. She was a woman and Mihoshi was a woman, it simply   
was not right for her to be attracted to the blonde.  
  
"Arg," Kiyone groaned into her pillow, "Why did I try to   
kiss Mihoshi? And why does she have to be so damned Cute?!"  
  
* * *  
  
Mihoshi leaned back in her command chair and bit her nails   
nervously. Kiyone looked so upset when she left, Mihoshi knew she   
must have done something wrong.   
  
"Yukinojo," Mihoshi called to the pink hemisphere set into   
the ceiling, "Human interface mode." Mihoshi watched proudly as   
the sphere rolled down and expanded, growing eyes and something   
like a mouth. Before Kiyone came to be her partner she had always   
had the ship set in that mode without even knowing there were   
other ones. Now she knew how to change them and what most of them   
did, and was quite proud of being able to use them effectively.   
  
"Show me events in the command chamber for the past..."   
Mihoshi looked down at the chronometer softly pulsing on the   
control panel, "Fourteen minutes." Kiyone taught her that too.   
Mihoshi had not known Yukinojo kept records of everything that   
happened in and around the ship before and was quite embarrassed   
when most of the video Kiyone pulled up to demonstrate how showed   
Mihoshi sleeping on the job.   
  
Now, as the holo-vid of the command chamber played out in the   
air between Mihoshi's face and the floating pink sphere, she   
watched carefully, just like Kiyone taught her to, looking for   
where she had screwed up. Finally, after watching the whole thing   
through three times Mihoshi gave up.  
  
"What did I do wrong Yukinojo?"  
  
"Your descent vector was off of pre-stated mission objectives   
by seven point three one six degrees. Your observable descent   
rate was inappropriate for atmospheric conditions on this planet   
under stated mission stealth objectives by four arc seconds per   
minute. Fuel usage was eight point nine percent over optimal due   
to pilot error during landing. Command message, 'I did it   
Kiyone,' irrational and a waste of computer resources..."  
  
"No," Mihoshi shook her head, "I mean what'd I do wrong with   
Kiyone? Why'd she get so upset?"  
  
"Unable to form response to stated query, Yukinojo unit not   
programmed for interpersonal relationship analysis in humanoid   
subjects."  
  
Mihoshi sighed, she should have known it would say something   
like that. She used to talk to Yukinojo all the time, but   
realized now that the ship never really said anything helpful.   
She just liked talking to it because it was a voice to hear   
answering her, and she was really lonely out in space during her   
patrols most of the time. But now that Kiyone was her partner she   
did not talk to her ship much anymore and when she did she   
realized it was not really much like talking to a real person.  
  
"Iconic command mode Yukinojo," Mihoshi sighed, getting up   
from the chair and stretching. As she made her way back through   
the ship to the sleeping quarters she shared with Kiyone during   
patrols she hoped that she had not done anything too horrible,   
whatever it was. She knew Kiyone yelled at her because she wanted   
her to do better, and was fairly used to it. When you know   
someone's only yelling because they want to help you, Mihoshi   
reflected, the yelling isn't really so bad. But this time Kiyone   
had not yelled at her, she had just been really quiet and walked   
off without saying goodbye or anything.  
  
Mihoshi picked up their luggage from their bunks on either   
side of the room and started for the airlock. She had to go tell   
Washuu they were there so the scientist could put Yukinojo into   
subspace before any Earth satellites saw it. *Maybe Washuu can   
help me,* Mihoshi thought, *She's real smart and she said before   
she wanted to help me remember stuff. Maybe if I ask right she'll   
help me with Kiyone and not ask me about remembering stuff again.*  
  
Mihoshi was not really sure why she was so uncomfortable with   
the prospect of Washuu helping her to remember what had happened   
during the, presumably, eighteen to twenty years of her life   
previous to the day she woke up six years ago and could not seem   
to focus on anything that happened before. There was just   
something about the idea that seemed Wrong to Mihoshi. Not wrong   
like impossible, she was sure if there was a way to do something,   
Washuu would know it, but Wrong like... Like arresting innocent   
people. Mihoshi knew it was really, really bad to arrest somebody   
if you did not have proof to show they needed to be brought in for   
questioning and, in a way, the wrongness centered around her   
memory felt like the wrongness about that. It was not really the   
same, she knew, but it was that kind of wrong. The 'you can do   
it, but if you do you'll be real, real sorry' kind.  
  
"Uh oh," Mihoshi said to herself halfway to he airlock, "I   
left my control cube back in the bunkroom." She carefully set   
down the luggage and went back for it, poking around the slightly   
disordered side of the room that was hers. Kiyone always kept her   
side of the room really neat and tidy and Mihoshi tried to imitate   
her, but was not very good at it. Her side of the room was much,   
much cleaner than it used to be before Kiyone came, but it was   
still fairly disorganized. When Mihoshi finally found her cube it   
was by tripping over it.  
  
"Oof!" Mihoshi grunted when she hit the ground. She sat up   
and picked up the cube from where it had been wedged against the   
edge of the bunk. "Oops, I half-twisted it."   
  
Mihoshi peered at the cube, trying to ascertain which way was   
up. Kiyone had shown her how to use it better than she used to,   
but she still had trouble remembering if you had to twist it right   
or left for some things, and it was especially hard when you   
started off half-twisted and couldn't just give it the 'align this   
way' command.  
  
Mihoshi sighed, she could not remember how to figure out   
which way was which when it was half-twisted and Kiyone was not   
around to help. "Oh well," Mihoshi sighed, "One twist won't hurt   
anything too much." With that, she twisted the cube the rest of   
the way.  
  
"Arg," Kiyone's voice came out of the cube. *Oh,* Mihoshi   
realized, *The comm channel.* She was about to say hello when she   
heard Kiyone say, "Why did I try to kiss Mihoshi? And why does   
she have to be so damned Cute?!"  
  
Mihoshi stared at the cube for a long moment before absently   
giving it two quick twists to turn off the comm channel. *Kiss   
me? Is that what Kiyone was going to do?*  
  
Mihoshi thought back to how Kiyone looked just before she got   
upset and realized it was probably true. At the time, seeing   
Kiyone so close up and having her be all quiet like that, Mihoshi   
thought she was upset about something. When she closed her eyes   
Mihoshi was scared for a second she would hit her. Mihoshi wasn't   
sure why she had thought that, really, it just came to her out of   
nowhere that that's what was going to happen.   
  
Mihoshi absently passed the cube back and forth between her   
hands, staring off into the distance while sitting there on the   
floor. *But why would Kiyone try to kiss me?* She wondered, *Why   
would she wanna do that?*   
  
"Ohhh," Mihoshi said softly as sudden realization overtook   
her, "Kiyone likes me."   
Mihoshi blushed and toyed with the control cube while she   
tried to figure out how she felt about that. Unlike Kiyone   
Mihoshi didn't have any prejudices against people having   
relationships with people of the same gender, but she had never   
been interested in other girls like that. Mihoshi had been out on   
a few dates in the past six years, though none of them went very   
well, but all with men. She could not remember ever even thinking   
another woman was cute. Thinking about it now she supposed Kiyone   
was one of the prettier girls she knew, though she thought Aeka   
would probably be cuter than her partner if she did not wear such   
old fashioned clothes. But it was only an observational kind of   
realization, not any sort of attraction. Mihoshi felt flattered   
that Kiyone was interested in her like that, but she couldn't find   
anything in herself but friendship for the green-haired police   
woman.   
  
Mihoshi sighed and wished she could talk to Kiyone about it,   
Kiyone always helped her when she was confused. But who was she   
supposed to talk to when she was confused about Kiyone?  
  
* * *  
  
Katsuhito lit the last of the three sticks of incense and sat   
back, breathing the scent in deeply. He clapped twice and offered   
a brief prayer to the spirits of his wives before settling into   
the familiar rhythms of meditation. He sat silently, eyes half   
closed, staring into an unseen distance until the sticks of   
incense had burnt down halfway. Offering another prayer to the   
many spirits surrounding him Katsuhito snuffed the fragrant sticks   
and closed the small shrine.  
  
Katsuhito rose smoothly from his knees and thought, *I   
suppose soon I will have to start grimacing when I get up after   
kneeling. Otherwise people will begin to wonder why an old man   
has no pain in his joints.*  
  
  
Katsuhito slid his front door open and stepped out quickly,   
shutting it behind him again before the cool air could escape into   
the warm night. Stopping midway across the courtyard Katsuhito   
fished under his sleeve and pulled the thin bracelet down from his   
forearm to dangle loosely at his wrist. Washuu gave it to him two   
years ago, on the pretense that it would be best if they had some   
way to quickly reach him from the house without having to send   
someone all the way up here. He knew she had never told anyone   
else though, and he himself kept it well hidden though it was a   
rare day that he did not wear it.  
  
Looking at it now he wondered why he did wear it. At first   
he wore it because it was, in Washuu's way, a gift, and Katsuhito   
valued gifts from friends highly. But to wear it day in and day   
out for years; he could not say that was simply of respect for a   
friend. Now he touched it in the places she had shown him and   
called quietly, "Miss Washuu?"  
  
"Yes, Lord Katsuhito?" Her voice came quickly, she was not   
busy then.  
  
"I would speak with you," he said into the bracelet, "If you   
can spare a moment."  
  
"I think I have one free," Washuu said as she stepped from   
behind a tree at the edge of the paved yard, "Since you asked   
nicely."  
  
*Was she there this whole time?* Katsuhito wondered, *Or   
only arrived now?* Washuu was the only member of the household he   
could not sense from a distance. Be it his fading link to the   
power of Jurai or simply the result of centuries of meditation, he   
could normally tell when there was another person near, especially   
a person whom he knew well. But not Washuu. Something about her   
blocked his perception, kept him from knowing when she was close   
by.  
  
"I wished to thank you, Miss Washuu, for your assistance in a   
certain matter some time ago."  
  
"Oh?" Washuu asked, walking toward him in the moonlight,   
"What matter?"  
  
"It involved a tree and a young woman, if you recall."  
  
"Ah," Washuu agreed, stopping a modest few meters away,   
"That matter."  
  
Katsuhito nodded and said with true gratitude, "I have not   
thanked you before, but I am in your eternal debt. I fear what   
would have happened without your shielding the tree."  
  
"Yes," Washuu nodded in understanding, "Funaho tried to   
transmit some very strong signals that night, we would have had   
half the fleet here by morning."  
  
"And the other half by the next night."  
  
Washuu chuckled, "True."  
  
"Did you..." Katsuhito paused, something he never did when   
speaking to anyone but her, he was always sure of his words with   
the others, "Did you watch me, Miss Washuu? You said you would   
not be able to track me that night, but you did not say that,   
knowing where I was, you could not monitor me."  
  
"Very perceptive, Lord Katsuhito," Washuu said with approval,   
"Most people wouldn't have thought of that."  
  
"Did you?"  
  
"If I did?"  
  
"I would prefer that, if you did, you forgot what you saw   
that night."  
  
"If I saw anything I have said nothing since, have I?"  
  
"No, but perhaps you are biding your time, waiting for a   
moment to turn your knowledge to profit."  
  
"If I had such knowledge and the will for that, would I not   
have already used it? You know what I want, Lord Katsuhito."  
  
Katsuhito chuckled, "It has been a long time since I was at   
court Miss Washuu, my level of subterfuge and intrigue has been   
stolen cookies and forgotten homework for many years."  
  
"Your secrets are safe with me, Lord Katsuhito."  
  
"Then you saw?"  
  
"No, not that night."  
  
"Then when?" Katsuhito asked, watching her eyes, "With   
mother? When they were here?"  
  
"No," Washuu shook her head and looked out at the shadow-dark   
forest, "I didn't see with my eyes or my sensors, Lord Katsuhito."   
She turned back to him, "I know your secrets, but I've seen them   
only with my heart."  
  
Katsuhito sighed and closed his eyes, rocking back on his   
heels, "I remember a time you would not have said that, Miss   
Washuu. A time when you would have laughed and joked about the   
young prince in an old man's body."  
  
"Times change, Lord Katsuhito."  
  
"Yes," Katsuhito nodded sadly, "And people with them."  
  
"Are you ready then? Will you take off your mask and let me   
see the second man in twenty thousand years to find my heart?"  
  
"No," Katsuhito's voice was full of regret but he pressed   
on, "I'm not sure that time will ever come, Miss Washuu. I'm a   
foolish old man, set in his ways."  
  
"I'm sorry, Lord Katsuhito, I did not mean that."  
  
Katsuhito stepped forward and patted her shoulder, "Yes.   
Yes, you did. And I am sorry too. Goodnight, Miss Washuu. Thank   
you."  
  
Katsuhito turned and went back inside, leaving her standing   
with only the moonlight for company.  
  
"God damn you," Washuu whispered as she turned away from the   
shrine, "God damn you Katsuhito. I won't let you break my heart,   
you old fool."  
  
* * *  
  
Aeka bowed to her parents and said formally, "I bid you   
farewell, my heart shall beat more slowly with distance until the   
song of the trees once more sings in my ears."  
  
Azusa returned the bow and said, "In your absence the sun's   
light shall shine less brightly. Return quickly and restore your   
house what it loses with you."  
  
Aeka sighed inwardly as the formal ceremony ended. She was   
not sure she would ever be back here, but she could not tell her   
parents that. Instead she painted a smile on her face and said,   
"Goodbye mommy, mommy Funaho, I'll miss you."  
  
Misaki rushed forward and gave her daughter a crushing hug.   
"You have fun back there Aeka, you've looked so depressed all the   
time you've been here. Next time I see my daughter I want there   
to be a real smile on her face."  
  
Aeka hugged her mother and kissed her cheek gratefully, it   
was nice to know someone would miss her anyway.   
  
"Goodbye Aeka," Funaho said gently as Misaki regretfully   
released her daughter, "Have a nice summer."  
  
Aeka looked at her father, but Azusa avoided her eyes.   
"Goodbye daughter," he said gruffly, "Do not do anything to   
embarrass yourself."  
  
"Azusa!" Misaki hit his shoulder lightly in reproach,   
"That's no way to say goodbye when we won't see our Aeka again for   
months!"  
  
"We did not see her for seven hundred years, Misaki," Azusa   
sighed, "What are a few months?"  
  
Misaki only frowned in response.  
  
Azusa stepped forward and awkwardly hugged his daughter,   
whispering in her ear, "I'm sorry Aeka. I will miss you, court   
presses on me very hard right now and I am not in the best of   
moods. It is not your fault and I should not take it out on you."  
  
Aeka hugged him back and whispered, "I understand father,   
that is why I had sought to-"  
  
Azusa pulled away, shaking his head, "None of that now. You   
know my stance, I cannot allow myself to be swayed from the will   
of the people."  
  
Aeka sighed, she had hoped... "I'm sorry, I should not have   
mentioned it again. I will give your love to Sasami."  
  
"And tell her to come with you next time!" Misaki called as   
her daughter stepped backward through the red gateway that hung in   
the air for a moment before snapping shut behind her.  
  
When Aeka was gone Funaho turned to Azusa and asked, "Will   
she return?"  
  
The emperor of the greatest civilization in the galaxy sighed   
and shook his head, "I do not know Funaho, our Aeka has changed   
and I fear that I have failed her."  
  
Misaki took her husband's hand gently and said, "You did your   
best Azusa, that's all anyone could ask, even of you. Aeka will   
be back, I know she will."  
  
"Yes," Funaho said, looking suddenly very far away, "But what   
will she bring with her? An ill wind stirs the branches and I   
fear for its portents."  
  
* * *  
  
Mihoshi's timid knock at the door was answered by a gruff,   
"Who's there?" from Kiyone within.  
  
"It.. it's me, Kiyone. Can.. can I come in?"  
  
"Your room too, Mihoshi."  
  
Mihoshi opened the door to the guest bedroom and walked in,   
setting the luggage down next to the bed. Mihoshi blushed as she   
realized there was only the one bed, she had not even thought   
about it before, but now...  
  
"Ki..Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked nervously, her partner was lying   
on the bed facing the wall away from her, "Are you mad at me,   
Kiyone?"  
  
"No, Mihoshi," Kiyone said wearily, "I'm not mad at you."  
  
"I brought your luggage in for you, you left it on Yukinojo."  
  
"Thank you, Mihoshi," Kiyone replied, still facing the wall.  
  
"And I got Washuu to put him in subspace so nobody'll see."  
  
"That was very thoughtful of you, Mihoshi."  
  
"Kiyone..."  
  
"What is it, Mihoshi?"  
  
"You can kiss me, if you want to, Kiyone."  
  
Kiyone rolled over and sat up, "What?"  
  
"I... I..." Mihoshi stammered, "That is... You..."  
  
"What did you just say, Mihoshi?"  
  
"You... You were going to kiss me, before, weren't you   
Kiyone?"  
  
"I," Kiyone felt a lie coming to her lips and stopped   
herself, she had lied once already, she was not going to make it   
twice in as many days, "Yes, I was. But it was a mistake. I'm   
sorry."  
  
"You don't wanna kiss me then?" Mihoshi sounded confused   
now.  
  
Kiyone sighed, "I don't know anymore Mihoshi. It's not   
right, I shouldn't want to. I don't know why I wanted to, but...   
God! I can't believe I'm having this conversation!"  
  
"You can, if you want to. I won't stop you."  
  
Kiyone stared at her partner for long moments and Mihoshi   
fidgeted nervously under her gaze.   
  
"You want me to kiss you, Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked slowly.  
  
"I.. I want you to be happy, Kiyone. I like being your   
partner and you're my best friend and you show me how to do stuff   
and when I thought you were mad at me I didn't know what to do   
because I couldn't ask you because you were mad at me."  
  
"What are you saying, Mihoshi?"  
  
"You're my friend Kiyone. You wanted to kiss me and you got   
upset when I stopped you, I don't want you to be upset anymore so   
you can kiss me if you want to."  
  
Kiyone laid back on the bed again and rolled over on her side   
to face the wall once more. "I don't want to kiss you, Mihoshi."  
  
"You.. you don't?" Kiyone thought she actually sounded   
vaguely hurt.  
  
"You'll make some guy really happy someday, Mihoshi. I'm   
still your friend, I don't have to kiss you for you to be my   
friend."  
  
"But you don't want to now?"  
  
"It doesn't matter, Mihoshi. Some things aren't right, and   
even if you sort of want them to be right they're still wrong."  
  
"Oh." Kiyone could tell she didn't understand.  
  
"It's late, Mihoshi. Let's get some sleep and maybe we'll   
talk about it tomorrow." They would not though, not if Kiyone had   
anything to say about it. She could not remember ever being more   
embarrassed in her life.  
  
"Okay, Kiyone. Only..."  
  
"Get into the damn bed, Mihoshi. I'm not going to try to   
feel you up in your sleep."  
  
"I didn't mean..."  
  
"Yeah, neither did I. Goodnight, Mihoshi."  
  
Mihoshi pulled her slippers off and started to take off her   
uniform, then stopped. *Should I? What if she doesn't want me   
to? What if she Does want me to? I don't think I should ask, she   
sounded like she sounds when I ask too many questions...*  
  
Mihoshi decided that discretion was the better part of valor   
and crawled under the covers still fully clothed while Kiyone lay   
there staring off into space. "Goodnight, Kiyone."  
  
* * *  
  
"What?!"  
  
Ryouko paused at the corner and peered cautiously around to   
see who Sasami was yelling at.   
  
The young princess was holding the telephone receiver to her   
ear, a look of shocked disbelief and rising anger painted across   
her features. Ryouko started to keep on around the corner but   
just as she began to move Sasami said, "I.. I.. Arg! I can't   
Believe you Eto! After what you.. you... And you expect Me to   
apologize?!"  
  
*What you what?* Ryouko wondered, pausing again and too   
distracted by the possibilities in Sasami's teasingly vague words   
to think about the fact that she was eavesdropping. *What'd that   
little pervert do?* Ryouko thought, *And how far into it did he   
get before you stopped him?*  
  
"Well what Else did you think I would do Eto?" Sasami   
demanded, "I'm not that kind of girl!"  
  
*That's my girl,* Ryouko thought with pride, *Give it to him   
good Sammy.*  
  
Sasami's eyes widened as she listened to the response to her   
demand and finally she said angrily, "I was Not leading you on!   
You know how I feel about that stuff and I can't believe you would   
think just because I was being nice to you I wanted you to.. to..   
ugh! You're such a..."  
  
*Wanted him to What? Come on Sasami, what was he trying?*  
  
"Fine!" Sasami shouted and Ryouko wondered furtively if   
anyone was near enough to hear. She thought they were all   
outside, but was not entirely sure. "Fine Eto! Whatever! But   
don't expect me to be going out with you anymore this fall!"  
  
Ryouko grinned.  
  
"Who?" Sasami asked, the anger slipping from her voice to be   
replaced by something like shock and perhaps a touch of pain,   
"Her?! But.. but.. I've only been gone three days!"  
  
Ryouko frowned. *No Sammy, don't let him get to you.. he's   
probably lying to make you beg for him to take you back. Tell him   
off and hang up...*  
  
"But Eto.. I.. how can you say I wasn't your girlfriend?"   
Sasami paused, listening to his response. "Just because I   
wouldn't... God Eto, you're such a..."   
  
Ryouko's frown deepened and her heart lurched when she saw   
Sasami's lip trembling. She wanted to go grab the phone, tell Eto   
just what he could do with himself, and tell Sasami it would be   
okay.. but she knew Sasami would be angry with her for listening   
in on her conversation.  
  
"I.. how..." Some of Sasami's resolve returned, though a few   
lonely tears were rolling slowly down her cheeks, "How dare you   
call me that? You.. you... I hope you're Very happy with her Eto!   
I'm sure she'll let you do whatever you want with her! Yeah, well   
screw you too, you asshole!" Sasami slammed the receiver down   
hard enough that Ryouko was afraid she might have broken the   
phone, then turned and put her face in her hands before breaking   
down into helpless sobs.  
  
Ryouko went to her then, she could not stop herself. She put   
an arm around Sasami's shoulders and tried to shush her, but   
Sasami only pulled away. When she looked up at her with a pained,   
tear-streaked face Ryouko's heart lurched again.  
  
"Ry..Ryouko?" Sasami asked, confused.  
  
"It'll be okay Sasami," Ryouko promised gently, trying to   
take one of the girl's hands.  
  
Sasami frowned and pulled away again. "Go away," she said   
quietly, turning her back on Ryouko, "I don't wanna talk to   
anybody Ryouko."  
  
"I know Sammy," Ryouko said, "But you'll find someone better.   
Someone who likes you for who you are, not just your body."  
  
Sasami turned back and looked at her, wiping her eyes and   
leaving smears in her makeup, "You.. you listened to my   
conversation?"  
  
Ryouko frowned and nodded sadly. "I'm sorry Sammy, I.. I   
didn't meant to but-"  
  
"Doesn't Anybody trust me?!" Sasami demanded angrily, "First   
Aeka, now you too Ryouko? Just leave me alone! This is all your   
fault anyway! If you hadn't talked me into moving to Tokyo with   
you and Tenchi..."  
  
"But.. I..." Ryouko looked hurt and searched for a response.   
"I thought you wanted to go..."  
  
"Everybody thinks they know what I want! Just leave me alone   
Ryouko!"  
  
Ryouko sighed sadly as Sasami turned away again, crying into   
her hands.   
  
"Sorry Sasami," Ryouko whispered and phased out, leaving the   
young woman to her tears.  
  
* * *  
  
Tenchi picked up the ringing phone and answered, "Masaki   
residence."  
  
"Hey Tenchi," Mataeo's voice greeted him, "How's it going?"  
  
"Oh, hi Mat. Pretty good, you?"  
  
"Eh, not so great. I lost my job at the gym."  
  
"What?" Tenchi asked, shocked, "Why? What happened?"  
  
Mataeo chuckled, "Ran out of customers. Not enough of the   
kids wanted to keep at it all summer for them to keep me on, so   
they said to come back in fall when there'd be more business."  
  
"That's awful, Mat. You're a great teacher, you should find   
someplace that appreciates you."  
  
"Nah," Mataeo brushed aside the compliment, "It's not their   
fault. They asked if I wanted to teach adult classes a month ago,   
but the hours would have been longer and I didn't want to commit   
myself during school. They got some other guy instead, so there's   
nobody to blame but myself."  
  
"Still, though," Tenchi sighed, feeling sorry for his friend.   
He knew how much Mataeo enjoyed his work at the gym, he got real   
pleasure out of teaching. "So how's Ai?"  
  
"You mean 'how are things with me and Ai,' don't you?"  
  
"Yeah," Tenchi admitted, "That too I guess."  
  
"She's alright. We talked and... I think we'll be okay."  
  
Tenchi wanted to ask if he had invited her to move in, but   
could tell Mataeo wouldn't be comfortable with the question so   
just left it at that, "That's good."  
  
"How's Ryouko? And the rest of the clan? Having a good   
time?"  
  
"It's only been three days," Tenchi chuckled, "Barely had   
time to say hello to everybody. Ryouko's fine, if she were around   
she'd say to say hi to Ai for her."  
  
"Not around? Where'd she go?"  
  
"Oh, I didn't mean like that," Tenchi explained, "She's just   
up in the.. lake, with the rest of the girls."  
  
"Ahh, why aren't you out there with them then? Tenchi scared   
of the water?"  
  
Tenchi laughed, "No, I was just sitting around watching TV   
with Dad. You know, the old 'go away for a while then come back   
and bond with your father' thing."  
  
"Yeah," Mataeo said, his voice suddenly sad and distant,   
"Sounds like fun."  
  
"So what's up Mat?" Tenchi asked, trying to change the   
subject, "Calling for anything in particular?"  
  
"Nah," Mataeo answered, trying to inject some cheer back into   
his voice, "Just bored and thought I'd give you a ring. I'll let   
you go, Ai'll probably call later to gossip with Ryouko, it's   
unbelievable the number of seemingly earth-shattering events which   
can apparently take place in three days."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yeah, like yesterday the lady up the street that runs the   
vegetable stall apparently arranged for her son to marry the   
daughter of the old guy that always hangs around outside the   
shrine two blocks over."  
  
"Ahh, That kind of earth-shattering importance."  
  
Mataeo chuckled and said, "Alright, Tenchi. You have fun,   
talk to you later."  
  
Tenchi started to take the phone away from his ear and   
stopped, calling, "Mat, hey, you still there Mat?"  
  
"Yeah," Mataeo answered, "What's up?"  
  
"Mat..." Tenchi paused, was he sure? He thought back to the   
distant pain in Mataeo's voice when he mentioned his father, and   
to the boredom so obvious in his tone for most of the   
conversation. Yes, he was sure.  
  
"We're going out to Iizuna to go camping for a week in a few   
days. Why don't you and Ai come with?"  
  
"I... No, we couldn't Tenchi. It'd be imposing on your   
family."  
  
"Come on Mat, we're not even going to be in the house. How   
can you be imposing? Besides, I'm inviting you, it's not imposing   
if you're invited."  
  
"I don't know Tenchi, I mean..."  
  
"I'm not taking no for an answer Mat," Tenchi said, his   
confidence in the rightness of his choice firming when he heard   
the shift in his friend's tone, "Ryouko missed you two the first   
day we were out here. If you don't want to stay for the summer   
that's fine, but you're going to come camping with us. You two   
have been in Japan for months now and haven't seen anything   
outside Tokyo, come on."  
  
"Alright Tenchi, I'll ask Ai. If she wants to we'll come."  
  
"Great. And don't worry about tents or anything, we have   
spares."  
  
Tenchi said goodbye and hung up the phone feeling somehow   
lighter. Leaving their friends alone for the summer had been   
hard, but Mataeo and Ai insisted that coming to stay at the house   
in Okayama would be imposing on Tenchi's hospitality. Now that   
they would be here with the rest of his friends and family Tenchi   
felt relieved. He worried about having to lie to them again, and   
about having to get everyone else to cooperate in the shared   
fiction, but he was glad all his friends would be together for a   
while.  
  
//Guess what honey,// Tenchi sent to Ryouko across the   
distance as he headed back to the livingroom.  
  
//What?//  
  
//Mat and Ai are coming camping with us, he just phoned and I   
talked him into it.//  
  
//Great! I'll tell everybody.//  
  
* * *  
  
Sasami's voice accompanied the knock, asking, "Ryouko? Can I   
come in?"  
  
Ryouko looked up, startled, and pushed the little box down   
deeper in Tenchi's bag, covering it with one of his shirts. "Sure   
Sasami."  
  
Ryouko glanced around the bed as Sasami slid the door open   
and snatched a bit of lace and elastic from the pillow, stuffing   
it into her own bag quickly.  
  
"What's up Sasami?" Ryouko asked, pushing her hair back from   
her forehead. Getting everything folded and stuffed into the   
little backpacks was harder than she had expected.  
  
Sasami sighed and sat down on the end of the bed before   
saying, "I'm sorry for what I said yesterday Ryouko. I.. I was   
really upset and I didn't mean it. I did want to go to Tokyo, and   
if you hadn't talked me into it I would've been really lonely   
staying here or on Jurai."  
  
Ryouko smiled and patted her shoulder reassuringly, folding   
another of Tenchi's shirts and placing it in his bag. "It's okay   
Sasami, I know you were upset. Do you... Do you want to talk   
about that?"  
  
The occasions Sasami had come to Ryouko for advice or just   
for someone to talk to had started out few and far between,   
usually she would just call her sister on Jurai and ask. But   
after a while Sasami started coming to Ryouko with her problems   
instead. Aeka was her sister, but she was also all the way away   
on Jurai and any problem Sasami was having could not be discussed   
without Sasami first explaining everything leading up to it too.   
Ryouko did not know everything that went on in her life, of   
course, but she at least knew all her friends' names.   
  
Ryouko was still not entirely comfortable with it though.   
Not that she did not want to talk to Sasami when the young woman   
needed help, but Ryouko was not sure she was the right person for   
her to ask. She had not had so much more experience in dealing   
with people in anything like a normal fashion than the princess   
that she felt confident in her advice, but Sasami seemed to   
appreciate it and Ryouko found it helped most when she just   
listened anyway. She was constantly afraid, though, that she   
would say or do something that would end up offending Aeka or   
damaging Sasami's relationship with her family, and so she was   
always very careful in what advice she gave.  
  
"I.. I dunno," Sasami said, toying with the hem of her shirt,   
"It's all so confusing..."  
  
Ryouko put another shirt in Tenchi's bag and picked up a   
handful of socks, sitting down next to Sasami at the end of the   
bed while she balled them up. "If you don't want to tell me it's   
okay, but you know how much better you usually feel if you explain   
what's going on."  
  
Sasami sighed and wrinkled her nose. "I guess so," she said   
slowly, "But you have to promise you won't get mad at Eto and you   
won't.. won't tell Aeka."  
  
Ryouko frowned, Sasami had never asked her anything like this   
before. "I don't know Sasami.. maybe you should talk to your   
sister about it."  
  
Sasami shook her head violently. "Uh uh, I can't talk to   
Aeka about this. It'd be.. it'd be bad. She'd get really mad at   
me, and at Eto, and at you and Tenchi.. and she's in town with   
Tenchi picking up Mat and Ai anyway."  
  
Ryouko nodded. The princess had gone with Tenchi in her   
stead so she could pick up a few things for the camping trip while   
Ryouko stayed and packed her and Tenchi's bags.  
  
"Okay," Ryouko agreed cautiously, "I promise. But I might   
tell you to stop if I don't think I can listen to any more and not   
break my promise, okay?"  
  
Sasami nodded, still looking down and playing with the edge   
of her shirt.  
  
"You.. you know about how I had my lessons, right?"  
  
"Yeah, Aeka was excited about it. But I remember you weren't   
too happy."  
  
"I.. I was just kinda scared. But in my lessons there was   
stuff about.. sex, you know?"  
  
"Mmm," Ryouko said noncommittally. Sex was one of those   
topics she was always very, very careful about around Sasami. She   
knew how much it would upset Aeka if she gave Sasami any 'weird   
ideas,' as the princess had put it before giving her permission to   
watch over Sasami in her place in Tokyo.  
  
"Well," Sasami said, pressing on despite Ryouko's response,   
"I was worried that if I.. if I actually wanted to, you know, Do   
it with somebody from Earth it wouldn't work right. There were..   
pictures, in the lessons.. but they were all Jurain and I didn't   
know if humans on Earth did the same stuff and everything. I   
mean.. I know mommy Funaho is from Earth, and she and daddy had   
Yousho, so it must be possible. But what if Earth humans did it   
different? Or wanted to do different stuff?"  
  
"Mmm?"  
  
"And all my girlfriends always talk about it.. it seems like   
all of them have sex with their boyfriends, but Aeka and the   
lessons told me it was supposed to be really special and I   
shouldn't do it with just anybody. And I know that's true.. I   
mean, it seems really silly when you just look at it, and I   
wouldn't want to do that with anybody who wasn't really special.   
And on top of that I was worried it wouldn't even Work right if I   
tried. So, so this one time.. I..."  
  
"Did you have sex with Eto?" Ryouko asked calmly, resting   
her hand comfortingly on Sasami's knee.  
  
"What? No!" Sasami shook her head and said quickly, "No,   
not that. I.. I bought one of those magazines Tenchi's dad looks   
at."  
  
Ryouko tried to keep herself from grinning. Here she thought   
Sasami had.. and she had just bought a dirty manga. "So?" Ryouko   
asked, "How.. er.. how was it?"  
  
Sasami wrinkled her nose. "It was.. weird. I.. I don't   
think I got a very good one."  
  
"You shouldn't use things like that as a guide for real.. for   
making love for real, Sasami," Ryouko said gently, "Those are for   
hentais that usually have really bad taste. I've seen some of   
them, and it's not.. it's really not like that."  
  
Ryouko had done much the same thing Sasami had been through   
before her first time with Tenchi. She worried that, as a   
creation of Washuu's lab, she might not even be capable of it.   
That her mother had never said anything regarding the subject   
bolstered Ryouko's confidence, and having seen other women naked   
she knew she was at least set up the same way. But she was   
nervous anyway. During her time under Kagato Ryouko had picked up   
on how two people actually went about the act, but it was a big   
galaxy and there were a lot of variations. Some of them sounded   
really uncomfortable, and she certainly could not just go to any   
of Tenchi's family and ask if they happen to do things the same   
way as, say, Gisifians.  
  
So she snuck into Nobuyuki's room and 'borrowed' a few of his   
manga to look at and see what she was in for. She did not think   
she would ever forget the expression on Tenchi's face when she   
asked nervously if maybe they could not use the ropes and all the   
first time. Ryouko heaved an inward sigh of relief that Tenchi   
was not like his father that way. She loved him and would   
probably do anything he asked, but the idea of being tied up.. it   
reminded her too much of the cave.  
  
"I know," Sasami said after a few moments of silence, "I.. I   
didn't think it could really be like that. But there was enough   
there that I know it works the same for people on Earth as for on   
Jurai."  
  
Ryouko took a deep breath and bit her lip before saying,   
"Sasami... If you ever.. if you ever have any questions about..   
that, and you don't want to ask your sister.. I want you to talk   
to me, okay? Reading those magazines isn't going to help, and I   
haven't had a whole lot of experience or anything, but I'll tell   
you what I know, okay?"  
  
Sasami looked up at her then, looking searchingly around her   
face.  
  
"But you have to promise," Ryouko said nervously under   
Sasami's gaze, "Never to ever tell Aeka. Okay? She'd kill me if   
she found out I even offered."  
  
Finally Sasami nodded. "Okay, Ryouko. I.. I guess maybe I   
could talk to you. Aeka's never.. and I just know she'd get   
really mad if I asked her about it."  
  
"So what were you so upset at Eto over?" Ryouko asked,   
trying to lighten the subject. "Did you ask you to do it with him   
or something?"  
  
"Oh, no," Sasami said and Ryouko cheered mentally, "He tried   
to kiss me. I.. I only said about the magazine because it kinda   
has to do with the kissing thing. I never knew anybody with a   
boyfriend on Jurai except Aeka, and I almost never saw her and   
Yousho in the same place, so I didn't really know what to do with   
a boy I liked. All my friends were always all flirty with their   
boyfriends, so I tried doing that too."  
  
Sasami sighed and looked down, shaking her head. "I guess   
that was wrong. Eto thought I wanted him to do stuff, like   
kissing me, that I didn't. I mean, I guess I kind of wanted him   
to kiss me, but I wasn't really ready when he tried. I.. ever   
since I had my Change I think about boys a lot, and before my   
Change I was never interested in any of Tenchi's dad's manga, so I   
guess I do sort of want to do some of that stuff. But wanting to   
and actually doing it are really different, for me anyway. I can   
kinda think about it and think how it'd be nice if Eto kissed me,   
but when he actually wanted to I just thought about how he might   
want me to do other stuff if I did that, and how it could really   
be nicer the first time, and maybe Eto wasn't the first boy I   
wanted to kiss... So I slapped him."  
  
Ryouko stifled an urge to giggle. "Really? You slapped   
him?"  
  
"Uh huh," Sasami said sadly, "Right on the face. And I   
thought maybe when I called him yesterday he would apologize for   
trying and then I could apologize for slapping him and we could go   
back to how we were before... Only he said he wouldn't apologize   
and I should apologize to Him for leading him on when I didn't   
really want to do anything. And then he said he's been going out   
with this girl, Nomasuki Anoru, for weeks 'cause he didn't think I   
was really his girlfriend. Anoru is.. everybody says she'll do   
anything with.. with a guy. I guess 'cause it makes her popular   
or something."  
  
Ryouko squeezed Sasami's knee, "If he wants to go out with   
some bimbo who'll do it with anybody who asks, let him. He'll   
probably get some disease. You did the right thing, Sammy. If   
someone wants to do something with you you're not ready for, tell   
them no. Just because it might make you popular isn't a good   
reason to do something, especially something as serious as sex."  
  
Sasami smiled weakly. "Yeah, I guess so."  
  
"Besides," Ryouko added, "Your friends probably aren't doing   
it as much as they say they are. The more somebody talks about it   
the less they usually are actually doing it."  
  
"Wow, really?"  
  
Ryouko nodded sagely. "Uh huh."  
  
"Well," Sasami said, grinning, "Their mothers probably never   
offered to give them pointers either."  
  
Ryouko blinked and she felt the blood draining from her head   
toward her toes. "Wh.. what do you.. what do you mean by that,   
Sasami?"  
  
"You said you'd talk to me about... Oh," Sasami paused,   
blushing as she realized what she had said, "I.. I don't know.   
You always talk to me when I have problems and I guess I sort of   
thought of you as being like Aeka when Aeka's not around, or when   
it's something I can't talk to her about. And Aeka was more like   
my mom than my sister on Jurai, mommy Misaki and mommy Funaho were   
always busy with daddy doing stuff for court and kids weren't   
allowed until after their Change. I.. I'm sorry Ryouko, I didn't   
mean to upset you or anything."  
  
Ryouko smiled. "No, don't worry about it Sammy. I'll talk   
to you about whatever you want."  
  
Sasami sighed. "I wish I could talk to mommy Misaki more   
often."  
  
"You could call her," Ryouko suggested.  
  
Sasami shook her head. "It's not that I can't talk to her   
really.. it's just when I try to I don't know what to say. Like I   
said I hardly ever got to really spend much time with her on   
Jurai, and now it's like anything I could talk about she wouldn't   
understand. When I talked to her after my lessons she was really   
nice and told me how pretty I was and how proud of me she was, but   
I couldn't talk to her about how I felt or anything. It just felt   
too weird.. like trying to talk to Aeka about stuff in Tokyo when   
she doesn't know any of my friends and just gets upset if I   
mention Eto."  
  
"I know how hard it can be trying to talk to someone about   
personal stuff when you're afraid they won't understand, or won't   
say what you want them to," Ryouko said, absently folding socks.   
"When I started talking to Washuu like she was really my mother it   
was really hard telling her about how I was feeling. I didn't   
really even want to admit to myself how I felt sometimes, how   
could I tell someone else about it? Especially when it was Washuu   
and she was always acting goofy?"  
  
Sasami nodded. "Yeah, that's what I mean. But you and   
Washuu are happy now, right?"  
  
Ryouko smiled and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I guess so.   
Sometimes she still jokes around when I want her to be serious,   
but I can talk to her and not be afraid she'll just laugh at me.   
She really does know a lot, and if she wants to she can usually   
explain things."  
  
"I.. I guess that's how it is for me too," Sasami said   
quietly, a little caution in her tone, "With.. with you I mean.   
When we went to Tokyo I didn't want to talk to you when I was   
upset because you.. well, you know."   
  
Ryouko nodded, she knew she had not been a model of   
compassion and propriety.  
  
"But," Sasami continued, "Now I'm not afraid and it's nice   
having someone I can talk to who understands. I couldn't talk to   
Tenchi like this, it'd be way too embarrassing. And Aeka..."   
Sasami shook her head. It was obvious to Ryouko that there was a   
lot Sasami wanted to say about her sister, but for her own reasons   
was unwilling.  
  
"I don't..." Ryouko paused, trying to decide how to phrase   
it to keep from hurting Sasami's feelings. "I like that you feel   
comfortable talking to me Sasami, but I don't know if I'm a good   
person for you to think of like a substitute mother. I'm a couple   
thousand years old, but what of that time I can remember I usually   
try not to. Really, in years that count, I'm only as old as   
Tenchi. And since I spent most of that in the cave I'm really not   
too great at.. you know, people and stuff. You can talk to me any   
time you want to, about anything, and I promise I'll try to listen   
and help if I can, but I.. I don't want to take your sister or   
your mother's place just because you're around me more."  
  
Sasami smiled. "I'll always love Aeka and mommy Misaki, I   
didn't mean it like that. I just meant..." Sasami sighed, "I   
guess I don't even know what I meant. I just wanna keep being   
your friend Ryouko, and really I just came up here to make sure   
you know I'm not really mad at you about yesterday. And I.. I   
hope you and Tenchi will let me come live with you again in the   
fall for school."  
  
Ryouko put the socks aside and hugged Sasami tightly. "Of   
course you can Sammy, the apartment would seem awfully empty   
without you around. And I still can't cook."  
  
Sasami giggled. "You're not That bad Ryouko. You can make   
breakfast now.. usually."  
  
* * *  
  
Mataeo started when Tenchi grabbed his arm, he had not heard   
his friend approaching through the forest. It was eerie the way   
Tenchi moved through the woods, like his feet rested atop the   
leaves rather than crushing them. Though if Tenchi was eerie,   
Sasami and Aeka were downright disturbing. If Mataeo didn't see   
their legs moving he would swear they floated.  
  
Mataeo looked at Tenchi were he stood now, holding his arm in   
mid-swing.  
  
"Er," Mataeo asked, "Something wrong?"  
  
"Don't take this one," Tenchi said, looking down at the   
fallen tree Mataeo was about to begin chopping for firewood, "It's   
still alive."  
  
"It is?" Mataeo looked at the log, it certainly looked dead   
to him, "How can you tell?"  
  
"Here," Tenchi pointed to a tiny green leaf on a tiny branch   
growing from the bulk of the tree, "See?"  
  
"How..." Mataeo shook his head, he did not want to know how   
Tenchi could have seen that from wherever he had been walking   
before coming to stop him from attacking the log.  
  
"Here," Tenchi turned to another log that looked, to Mataeo,   
essentially identical to the first, "We'll take this one."  
  
While Mataeo started to work with the hatchet alongside his   
friend he reflected on the camping trip so far. When he told Ai   
about Tenchi's invitation she was downright eager to go.   
  
  
They left the next morning after calling Tenchi again and   
arranging for him to come pick them up at the train station in   
Kurashiki. The train trip was pleasant, it had been a long time   
since either of them were outside a city and watching the   
countryside roll by was relaxing. When they arrived Tenchi was   
standing on the platform with a rather attractive woman with long,   
purple hair and pink eyes.  
  
"Wow, Ryouko," Mataeo said walking up to them, "You weren't   
kidding about the country air being different from Tokyo. I think   
the new Ryouko is cuter, how about you Ai?"  
  
Ai rolled her eyes and bowed to the purple-haired woman, "I   
am Fujihara Ai and the rude man with me is Onosami Mataeo. You   
must be Sasami's sister."  
  
"Why yes," Aeka answered with a bow, "But how did you know?"  
  
"Sasami talks about her sister quite often and pink eyes are   
not exactly common," Ai said, "Though I confess I was under the   
impression that she had an older sister."  
  
Aeka blushed and said, "I am Sasami's older sister."  
  
"Really? Certainly not by more than a few months then?"  
  
When Aeka's blush darkened and she did not answer Tenchi took   
the opportunity to fill the lull in conversation by welcoming his   
friends and formally completing the introductions, telling them   
Aeka was his cousin and that Ryouko stayed behind to help with the   
packing.  
  
  
When they arrived at the house Sasami opened the door and   
greeted them with a happy, "Hi Mat! Hi Ai!" and the odd little   
creature on top of her head chimed in with, "Miya!" Sasami tried   
to look up at it, her eyes crossing as peered upward and said, "Uh   
oh..."  
  
"Hi Sasa-" Tenchi stopped mid-sentence and mid-step, staring   
at the furry little animal on her head, "Sasami? I thought we   
talked about this."  
  
"I'm sorry Tenchi," Sasami apologized, "I.. I was making   
lunch and forgot she was up there and then I came to answer the   
door and I didn't even think..."  
  
Mataeo and Ai looked back and forth between one another,   
Tenchi, Sasami, and the furry little creature that was peering   
around with apparent interest at the new arrivals. "Miya?" it   
asked.  
  
Tenchi sighed, "Well, I guess it's too late now. Mataeo, Ai,   
meet Ryou-ohki. Ryou-ohki, Mataeo and Ai."  
  
"What..." Mataeo stared at Ryou-ohki, "What is it?"  
  
"She's Ryou-ohki," Sasami answered defensively, taking the   
animal down off of her head and holding it out toward them.   
"Miya!" it said happily.  
  
"Yeah," Mataeo agreed, reaching out to pet the adorable   
little thing despite himself, "But what is she? A cat? A   
rabbit?"  
  
"She's certainly cute," Ai said, scratching Ryou-ohki's chin.   
Ai was always better at dealing with unexpected surprises than her   
boyfriend.  
  
"Ryou-ohki," said the reddish-pink haired woman who walked up   
to the door behind Sasami, "Is a cabbit."  
  
"A what?" Mataeo asked, not noticing that the residents of   
the house seemed as interested in this particular explanation as   
he was.  
  
"A cabbit," the woman repeated, "Half cat, half rabbit."  
  
"But," Ai protested, "That's impossible. They're totally   
different species, you can't just mix them together."  
  
"Ahh," the woman said knowingly, "That's the genetics part."  
  
"But you can't mean to say-"  
  
Ai's protest was cut off by Tenchi hurriedly stepping forward   
and saying, "Mat, Ai, this is Washuu, Ryouko's mother. Washuu,   
these are our friends from Tokyo. Why don't you and Ryou-ohki go   
finish making lunch Sasami?"  
  
Sasami nodded happily and turned back to the interior of the   
house, asking Ryou-ohki, "Did you know you were a cabbit Ryou-  
ohki?" and receiving an ambivalent "Miya" of response.  
  
"Come on," Tenchi said, "Let's go inside before anything else   
happens."  
  
  
Between then and leaving the next day for the campground at   
Mt. Iizuna there were no more big surprises. Mataeo and Ai met   
Mihoshi and Kiyone, Katsuhito and Nobuyuki, and Washuu spent a   
long, confusing hour explaining to Ai that Ryou-ohki was an   
experiment from an American lab where she worked until a few years   
ago, and that technically was supposed to have been destroyed.   
Mataeo had no idea if the things Washuu described were actually   
possible, but Ryouko's mother certainly sounded like she knew what   
she was talking about and was willing to describe the process used   
to create Ryou-ohki in enough detail that even Ai eventually gave   
up on it. The part about smuggling Ryou-ohki out of the country   
to avoid having her destroyed when the experiment was over was   
easier to believe. Mataeo could not imagine that anyone but a   
scientist could be heartless enough to destroy anything as cute,   
harmless, and apparently intelligent as the cabbit.  
  
Since arriving there had been a continued dearth of   
surprises, besides the almost ethereal grace with which Tenchi,   
Aeka, and Sasami moved through the forest. When they went out   
hunting firewood for that night while the girls pitched the tents   
and set up camp Aeka mentioned casually, though forcefully, that   
they should only take dead wood. Tenchi agreed and Mataeo thought   
it was a good sentiment, the forest was beautiful and should be   
preserved. He thought Tenchi was probably going a little   
overboard with the log, nobody would have known afterward that it   
had still had a couple of shoots left growing, but he had met   
environmentalists before and a concern for the woodlands was   
considerably less odd than most of the unusual things about his   
friends.  
  
  
Mataeo wiped his forehead and pushed the latest piece of log   
out of the way with his foot. He and Tenchi had been at it for an   
hour now and were nearly done, though it would probably take them   
two or three times that to haul all the wood back to camp. He   
eyed the pile and thought it would probably be worth it though, as   
much wood as had come out of the fallen tree would probably last   
them half the week. At least, he hoped it would. This was only   
Mataeo's second time camping in his life and he had not expected   
it to be quite so much work. Camping usually summoned up images   
of sitting around a merry fire telling stories or fishing in   
clear, gurgling streams. Not being up to your elbows in dust and   
wood chips with blisters quickly developing on your hands from   
swinging an axe.  
  
*Well,* Mataeo thought as he set the latest log section up   
end-wise to split it, *At least it's a change of pace. Without   
school to keep us busy I don't know what Ai and I would have done   
in Tokyo all summer. I've lived in a city most of my life, but   
over here the only people I've got to spend time with are Ai and   
the Masakis, and going out to the same clubs and restaurants every   
night would have gotten old fast.*  
  
Mataeo aimed carefully and brought the axe down the way   
Tenchi had shown him, cleaving halfway through the log. *Maybe I   
should let him talk us into staying at their place all summer,*   
Mataeo thought, *I don't want to impose, but everybody really does   
seem to not mind a couple of extra visitors and even with all the   
work this trip has been more fun than anything I could be doing   
back in Tokyo right now.*  
  
"Nice cut, Mat," Tenchi observed, startling his friend from   
his thoughts, "You're a natural."  
  
Mataeo grinned and brushed off the compliment, "It doesn't   
take a lot of talent to use a big hunk of metal to hit a bigger   
hunk of wood."  
  
Tenchi chuckled, "You'd be surprised. It took me days just   
to get where I could hit the middle of the log."  
  
"Yeah, right," Mataeo replied jovially, "It's not That hard   
Tenchi. Besides, the way you move you could probably split these   
things in fourths with one whack from a stick."  
  
Tenchi raised his eyebrows and asked, "Way I move? A stick?   
What are you talking about?"  
  
"Come on Tenchi," Mataeo sighed in exasperation, laying the   
axe down against the stump he was using as a chopping block, "You   
glide around out here like some kind of forest kami. I've been   
half expecting you to start talking to the trees or something."  
  
When Tenchi only looked at him in further confusion Mataeo   
expanded, "You know I know you're not just a normal guy, Tenchi.   
We've been over all that before, and there are just too many weird   
little things about your family for you to be like everybody else.   
I mean, your cousin's best friend is some kind of weird genetics   
experiment your girlfriend's mother whipped up... When are you   
going to tell me who you are? I want to be your friend, Tenchi,   
but I don't know how long that can last if you're not going to   
trust me."  
  
Tenchi sighed and put down his hatchet, saying, "I don't know   
Mat. I want to tell you, I really do, but it would cause a lot of   
problems if I did. Not just for me, for you and Ai too. I know   
you'd keep a secret for me, but even Ryouko and I have trouble   
keeping it all in sometimes, and we live it. How much easier   
would it be for you to accidentally let something slip that you   
don't think is really such a big deal?"  
  
Mataeo shook his head. "If you're not going to tell me all   
of it maybe you shouldn't tell me anything. The more you say the   
weirder it all sounds and the more I want to know."  
  
"I'll talk to the others later," Tenchi promised, "Maybe we   
can come up with something. But how about you? If you and Ai are   
going to find out about us, are you going to hold up your end of   
the bargain?"  
  
Mataeo picked up the axe and buried it once more in a log   
before replying quietly, "Too late Tenchi, I invited her to move   
in with me on the train ride here. I'm surprised you don't know   
yet, I figured that would be the first thing Ai told Ryouko."  
  
Tenchi grinned broadly and clapped his friend on the   
shoulder, "If so she hasn't said anything to me. Congratulations,   
Mat. You won't regret it."  
  
"No," Mataeo said wistfully, "I don't think I will. We're   
going to find a place before the start of the fall semester and   
hopefully sometime between now and graduation we'll get married.   
Then my Dad won't flip when we go back to Hong Kong."  
  
"Married?" Tenchi asked, surprised at the ease with which   
Mataeo seemed to take the idea considering his nervousness about   
cohabitation.  
  
Mataeo chuckled and said, "Yeah, I know. But somehow   
marriage doesn't seem as hard a inviting her in was. Asking Ai to   
marry me doesn't offend anybody and I know she'll say yes, so   
what's there to be worried about? We've talked about it before,   
and we wanted to get married eventually, but now that we're going   
to live together it just seems natural that it'll be soon."  
  
Mataeo looked up from the half-split log at Tenchi and his   
voice was touched with deep gratitude when he said, "Thanks,   
Tenchi. If you hadn't made me look closer at my feelings that   
night at the restaurant and scared me bad enough to talk to Ai   
about it later, I don't think I would have ever been ready.   
Sometimes you've just got to step back and say, 'Is this what I   
want out of life? Is there anything that would feel more right   
than this?' And if it weren't for you, I'm not sure I'd have   
realized that."  
  
Tenchi felt himself blush as he looked down at the remains of   
the log near his feet. "I didn't do all that, Mat. You did it, I   
was just there."  
  
"No, Tenchi," Mataeo shook his head, "You weren't just there.   
Once again you've done something that I wouldn't have figured was   
even possible and don't seem to realize what you did. I want to   
know your story Tenchi, but I'll wait for when you're ready. I   
owe you a lot and that's the least I can do."  
  
* * *  
  
Kiyone gave up and got out of the tent. She had been lying   
there for hours trying to fall asleep but thoughts about Mihoshi,   
and anger at herself over those thoughts, were keeping her awake.   
So finally she crawled carefully out of her sleeping bag and   
slipped out of the tent without waking Mihoshi. Nobody else   
seemed to be up, or a least if they were they weren't doing   
anything that required lights, so Kiyone decided to go up the   
trail a ways to the little stream that fed into lake Daizahoshi.   
She, Mihoshi, and Sasami had found it that afternoon and it seemed   
like it would be a peaceful place to sit on a moonlit night.  
  
  
"Couldn't sleep either Kiyone?"  
  
Kiyone arrived at the stream to find Ai already there,   
sitting on a rock and watching the coolly sparkling water flow   
past with the darkness of reflected night.   
  
"No, too many bumps in the ground I guess," Kiyone lied.   
  
"Yeah," Ai agreed, sounding sincere, "Guess I'm just a city   
girl too. Mat passed right out but every time I moved I found   
another rock right under my back."  
  
Kiyone sat down next to the young woman she had only met the   
day before and nodded, "I've never been camping before. It's nice   
out here though, I'm glad Mihoshi invited me along."  
  
"I've only been a couple of times, but you're right, it's   
very peaceful out here. I'm glad Mat let Tenchi talk him into it,   
he's been so upset over losing his job I was worried he'd just be   
depressed all summer."  
  
"Mmm," Kiyone agreed unsurely. She was a relatively private   
person and was not entirely comfortable with people who could just   
open up to a new friend.  
  
"So how'd you end up out here Kiyone? I know you're a friend   
of Mihoshi's or something, but everything's been so busy since   
yesterday I haven't gotten to really meet everybody yet."  
  
"I..." Kiyone paused, reminding herself that she was   
supposed to be an ordinary Earth girl around Tenchi and Ryouko's   
friends, "We work on the Kurashiki police force, I'm Mihoshi's   
partner."  
  
"Oh," Ai said, "So how does Mihoshi know Tenchi's family?"  
  
Kiyone shook her head, "I'm not sure exactly. They've been   
friends for years but I only met Mihoshi a few months ago. I   
think Ryouko was involved in a case Mihoshi was working on or   
something." Kiyone really wasn't sure how her partner had met up   
with Tenchi and the rest, she had never really thought to ask.   
She could certainly see why Mihoshi was friends with them though,   
she had only spent a week and a half or so with them between now   
and back at Christmas but they all treated her like a member of   
the family. It was a nice feeling after being pretty much alone   
since her father passed away.  
  
"So you and Mataeo are getting married or something?" Kiyone   
asked, "Ryouko was saying something about it but I only caught the   
end."  
  
Ai blushed and looked out at the water, "No, not married. He   
asked me to move in with him on the train ride up here. We're   
going to get married too, eventually, but it took Mat a long time   
to get up to inviting me to live with him, I'm not going to rush   
anything else."  
  
Kiyone mumbled congratulations and sat silently watching the   
stream. Kiyone was more comfortable with the idea of people   
living together without being married than a lot of things, but it   
still seemed vaguely wrong. Back on Midris nobody would even   
consider living with a romantic partner without been legally   
bonded first. They did not have the complex marriage rituals   
practiced here on Earth, but there were certain documents and   
procedures to be followed saying that you were bound to the other   
person and entitling them to the right to prosecute if you had an   
affair. Not that that happened very often, Midrins were too   
tightly wound about sexual matters for casual extra-marital   
flings. But the GP had taken Kiyone to enough worlds without   
marriage contracts of any kind that she was relatively comfortable   
with the idea that people could be bonded by love instead of law,   
and Ai seemed like a nice person.  
  
"How about you and Mihoshi?" Ai asked, looking back at   
Kiyone from the gurgling stream.  
  
"Huh?" Kiyone asked, startled, "What do you mean?"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Ai blushed in the near-darkness, "I didn't   
mean... I thought you two were... I'm sorry."  
  
*Am I that obvious?* Kiyone wondered, *I don't want to   
believe my own feelings exist, but this girl can see right through   
to them. Is she just observant or is it blatantly clear that   
I'm.. interested.. in Mihoshi and everyone is just too polite to   
comment?*  
  
"No offense taken, Ai," Kiyone said quietly, patting Ai's   
hand, "I'm.. I'm just Mihoshi's friend."  
  
* * *  
  
"Ryouko? Are you awake?" Tenchi asked, leaning on his elbow   
on the tent floor and looking down at her.  
  
"Mmmm?" Ryouko asked muzzily.  
  
"Sorry, go back to sleep."  
  
"No," Ryouko rubbed her eyes, "I'm up. I wasn't sleeping   
very well anyway, too many roots and things. What's up Tenchi?"  
  
"I.. I can't sleep. Come out for a walk with me?"  
  
Ryouko nodded and sat up slowly. She really was not sleeping   
very well anyway and Tenchi sounded like he needed to talk to her   
about something. Ryouko pulled on a pair of pants to go with the   
shirt she had worn to sleep and looked around for her sandals   
while Tenchi crawled out of the tent.  
  
  
"So what's bothering you Tenchi?" Ryouko asked when they   
were away from camp, "You sounded upset."  
  
Tenchi walked on in silence for a few moments before   
responding, "I was talking to Mat before, while we were out   
getting firewood. You know he asked Ai to move in with him?"  
  
"Yeah," Ryouko said with a grin, "She went on about it for an   
hour and a half while we were putting the tents up. I'm really   
happy for them, she's wanted this for a while."  
  
Ryouko reached over and took Tenchi's hand, leaning against   
his shoulder while they walked. "And she says it was because of   
some advice you gave him."  
  
"I don't think so," Tenchi said distantly, "I think it was   
more Mat than he wants to admit, I'm just an excuse for him to get   
around the traditions his father brought him up to follow."  
  
"Well, either way you helped him," Ryouko brought his hand   
up and kissed the back of it before going on, "That's why I love   
you Tenchi, you're such a wonderful man and never get a swelled   
head about it."  
  
Tenchi sighed and squeezed her hand in his, "I'm not so   
wonderful."  
  
"Sure you are," Ryouko comforted, wondering what was   
bothering him.  
  
"No," Tenchi shook his head, "No, I'm not. Here, lets go   
sit down on that rock over there. I.. I need to talk to you about   
something."  
  
Ryouko frowned at the tone in his voice but went and sat   
down. Tenchi reached into his pocket and pulled out a strip of   
cloth. The moon gave enough light to walk by, but it was still   
dark and Ryouko was not entirely sure, but she thought it was the   
ribbon she had taken from his hand on Christmas night.  
  
"This was my mother's, Ryouko," Tenchi said, looking down at   
the strip of blue cloth in his hand, "She used to wear it in her   
hair. I've been carrying it around, on and off, ever since she   
died. Sometimes I take it out and I run it between my fingers and   
it's like I can feel her arms hugging me again." Tenchi sighed   
and looked up at her. "I lied to you, Ryouko."  
  
"What?" Ryouko's frown deepened and she had to struggle   
through the emotions Tenchi's words about his mother had brought   
rushing to cloud her mind, "What did you lie about?"  
  
"When I told you..." Tenchi's voice faltered but he squeezed   
the ribbon in his hands and went on, "When I told you that I was   
finally ready to love you, when I said that your courage had given   
me the strength to let you into my life... I was lying Ryouko."  
  
"Wh..." Ryouko couldn't finish the word, much less the   
sentence. He lied? He didn't love her? No, no, this couldn't be   
happening. Ryouko pinched herself hard, almost drawing blood, but   
she wasn't waking up. Her mind spun and the world seemed to tilt.  
  
"No, no, Ryouko, I didn't mean it like that," Tenchi said   
hurriedly, taking her in his arms when she nearly fell off the   
rock, "I love you, I love you, I do, I didn't mean that."  
  
Ryouko looked up at him frantically, searching his eyes and   
slowly calming when she saw the truth of it there, "Don't you ever   
do that again Tenchi. Don't scare me like that, not ever."  
  
"I'm sorry," Tenchi kept one of her hands in his but went   
back to playing with the ribbon in the other one, "I'm sorry   
Ryouko, I didn't mean to upset you like that. I didn't think   
about how what I was saying sounded. That's not what I meant, I   
love you, I'll love you forever, I..." Tenchi shook his head, "I   
can't explain it this way. Let me.. let me show you."  
  
Ryouko knew what he meant and nodded, squeezing his hand   
hard. He had shaken her badly, but his calm voice and the truth   
in his words was bringing her back. He loved her, she knew it,   
and whatever was upsetting him must be pretty bad for him to have   
jumbled his thoughts around that badly and for him to want to   
share his memories directly with her. They had done it a few   
times since Christmas, but Tenchi was always very nervous about it   
and had only given her his memories once. Christmas was months   
ago, but she knew the pain of that night was still fresh for him.  
  
Now he reached up and stroked her forehead gently, kissing   
her reassuringly and saying again that he loved her. Ryouko   
smiled and covered his hand in hers, nuzzling her face against it   
and opening herself to his mind.  
  
  
Pale sunlight filtered in through the rice-paper windows as   
Tenchi walked into the room where his mother lay. The sun made   
Achika's pale skin seem to almost glow and Tenchi, though only a   
child, thought she looked very beautiful. But she was very   
obviously in pain too, and that made Tenchi's whole body seem   
stiff and unwieldy. He went to her, crossing the wooden floor   
slowly on slippered feet, and knelt beside the futon on which she   
rested.  
  
"Mommy?" Tenchi asked in the voice of a young boy, "What's   
wrong Mommy? Grampa said you wanted me to come see you."  
  
She looked up at him, her eyes focusing on his face slowly,   
and she reached up with visible effort to stroke his cheek.   
"Tenchi," she sighed, "Oh my beautiful little Tenchi."  
  
"What's wrong Mommy?" Tenchi asked again, worrying at the   
distant quality of his mother's voice.  
  
Achika's hand fell back to the bed and she sighed heavily   
before speaking again. "Tenchi, I have to go away soon, and I'm   
afraid I will not be able to come back."  
  
"What?" Tenchi asked, confused, "Where are you going Mommy?   
Can't I come with?"  
  
"No, my Tenchi, I'm afraid I have to make this journey   
alone."  
  
"No, Mommy," Tenchi cried, holding her hand to his face   
again, "No, don't leave. Please, I'll be good, I promise."  
  
"Oh Tenchi, I'm not leaving because of you my son." Achika   
sighed, "I... I wanted to make this easier for you, Tenchi, but I   
can see that I was wrong. You're a big boy now and I should have   
told you the truth."  
  
"What do you mean Mommy? Where are you going?"  
  
"I am dying, Tenchi. I have been sick for a very long time   
and now my life is finally going. It is nothing you did, my dear   
Tenchi, I promise you that."  
  
"No, Mommy," Tenchi fell over her, trying to hold her there   
though she was not moving, "No, Mommy, you can't die, you can't!"  
  
"I'm sorry Tenchi, if I could I would stay with you, but the   
gods do not give us choices in these things. I am sorry that this   
has to come at such a young age, I hoped to live until you were a   
man and did not need your old mother anymore, but I can not hold   
on to life much longer."  
  
"Please Mommy," Tenchi sobbed, "Please... Please..."  
  
"Tenchi, look at me Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi looked up at her slowly, wiping tears from his eyes   
though new ones flowed in their place immediately after.  
  
"I need you to be strong, Tenchi," Achika said softly, "I   
need you to be strong now and help your father."  
  
Tenchi nodded, hoping that by doing what she asked she would   
stay, "I will Mommy, I promise."  
  
Achika smiled at the courage in her son's face and reached   
slowly to her hair, "Here Tenchi, I want you to take this ribbon.   
I have worn it all my life and there is some of my spirit in it.   
When you are frightened or alone, I want you to take it out and   
look at it and remember that your Mommy loves you very much and   
will always be with you."  
  
Tenchi took the ribbon from her weak hands and looked at it.   
He ran it between his fingers and held it up to smell the scent of   
his mother on it. When he looked back up at Achika her eyes were   
closed. He felt panic rising in his chest, but saw that she was   
still breathing. She had fallen asleep, exhausted from the brief   
conversation.  
  
"I love you Mommy," Tenchi whispered, hugging her tightly   
before running from the room. He ran out of the shrine and down   
the mountain, all the way to the old cave his grandfather had told   
him he must never enter. He did not know why he went there, only   
that when he ran it was the place his feet took him. When he got   
there he threw himself down at the cave's mouth and sobbed into   
his arms, letting the tears he held back to make his mother proud   
flow and clutching her ribbon tightly in his fist.  
  
  
Tenchi looked up at Ryouko as the memories faded from her   
mind. There were tears in his eyes and she realized that she was   
crying as well. She remembered that day, remembered seeing Tenchi   
weeping outside the cave and wishing she could comfort him.  
  
"That was that day," Tenchi said quietly, confirming her   
unvoiced recollection, "You told me once that that was the day you   
fell in love with me Ryouko."  
  
Ryouko nodded, holding his hand tightly in hers but unable to   
speak.  
  
"But on the day you fell in love with me," Tenchi said sadly,   
"I lost my love. I loved my mother more than anything in the   
whole world, Ryouko, and when she left me I stopped being able to   
love anything else and didn't even realize it. I love my friends   
and I love my family, but in my heart I've kept myself separated   
from them all. I've locked a little bit of myself away all my   
life because I'm afraid of what will happen if I let anyone see   
that part. I was too afraid to let you all the way into my heart   
for fear that I would lose you the way I lost my mother.  
  
"When I told you I was ready to let you in, Ryouko, when I   
said that I was finally ready to open my heart again... I didn't   
know I was lying, but I was. I love you, I love you more than   
I've loved anyone since my mother, and I thought I was finally   
ready to give myself fully to it again. But I was wrong, Ryouko,   
I didn't know it, but I was wrong. I.. I was going to ask you to   
marry me Christmas night. After I gave you the gems I was going   
to ask you, but after everything happened I couldn't find the   
courage again. It was just gone and I couldn't find it.  
  
"But today, talking to Mat, I realized why. I almost killed   
you Ryouko, if it weren't for Tsunami I would have killed you,   
killed all of the people I love and probably killed myself.   
Almost losing you just as I was ready to give myself completely   
over to loving you.. it was too much and I shut my heart up again.   
But Mat said something today, he said that because of what I said   
to him he realized that sometimes you have stop, step back from   
life and say, 'Is this what I want? Is this what feels right?'   
And I did, I stopped and I looked and I asked, and the answer was   
no. This isn't what feels right, this isn't what Is right. I   
can't let my fear of losing you hold me back, Ryouko. If I do I'm   
not being fair to you and I'm not being fair to myself."  
  
Tenchi looked up at her then and smiled at her through his   
tears. He took the ribbon in his hands and reached up, gathering   
her hair behind her head. She felt him tie the ribbon in place   
before lowering his hands again.  
  
"I love you Ryouko. I'm ready now, ready to let you in. I   
loved my mother and I will miss her all my life, but I can't let   
that stop me from feeling anymore."  
  
"Ryouko," Tenchi began, taking her hands, "Will you marry   
me?"  
  
Ryouko tried to answer, but her voice was gone. She had   
dreamed of this moment for years, dreamed of it in the dark years   
in the cave and dreamed of it since Tenchi let her out into the   
world of light and life again. She had hoped and prayed that it   
would come one day, that her Tenchi would ask her to be his wife,   
but somehow it had always seemed a dream. She knew he loved her   
and knew he wanted to be by her side, but to be his wife, to be   
able to say, 'I am Masaki Ryouko, Tenchi is my husband and I am   
his wife. I belong at his side and there will I remain forever,'   
that was almost too beautiful a dream to ever be true. But now it   
was. He had asked and he wanted her to say yes. He wanted to be   
her husband and for her to be his wife and to be with him always.   
Ryouko wanted to say yes, wanted to scream yes, wanted to yell it   
to the stars for a thousand years, but her voice was gone. So   
instead she leaned forward and kissed him, and with the contact of   
her lips on his she let her affirmation flow across their bond.   
It was more than 'yes,' it was more than there are words for in   
any language Ryouko knew. It was a promise to be with him   
forever, to never leave him and to hold back even death should it   
try to separate them. It was a promise that she would be Masaki   
Ryouko for all time, would be his wife until the stars guttered   
out at the end of the universe, and to be with him in the darkness   
beyond it until time itself ran down.   
  
Finally Ryouko found her voice again and, though she knew   
Tenchi knew her answer, had felt the answer she sent with her   
heart, she had to say the words. She had waited so long and   
prayed so hard; to not say them, she felt, would be a sin.  
  
"Yes. Yes, Tenchi. Yes, I'll marry you."  
  
* * *  
  
"Miya?" Ryou-ohki asked when Sasami sat up in her sleeping   
bag.  
  
"Shh," Sasami crossed her lips with her finger and patted   
Ryou-ohki on the head.  
  
//Quiet, little one, do not wake Aeka.//  
  
//Sasami?// Ryou-ohki sent incredulously, //You can talk in   
my head? How come you never did before?//  
  
//No, little one, not Sasami.//  
  
//Oh,// Ryou-ohki responded as realization came to her,   
//Tsunami.//  
  
The goddess with Sasami's face nodded and patted Ryou-ohki   
again.  
  
//Would you like to be my friend as well, little one?//  
  
//Aren't you gonna be Sasami one day?//  
  
//Yes, I am.//  
  
//Then I'm already your friend.//  
  
Tsunami smiled, it had been a very long time since she had a   
friend.   
  
//You must leave now, little friend, I must speak to Aeka and   
it would be best if you were not present. Go to your sister now,   
Sasami will be here with the light of dawn.//  
  
Ryou-ohki hopped away through the wall of the tent, headed   
for the one Ryouko shared with Tenchi. Tsunami watched her go and   
reached deep within herself, \\Sasami, are you ready?\\  
  
\\I,\\ Sasami's voice was hesitant in the depths of the   
goddess, \\I don't know Tsunami. It's going to hurt her so much,   
does she have to know? Can't we just tell them and take it   
away?\\  
  
\\You know the answer to that, Sasami.\\  
  
\\Yeah, I know. We cannot intervene in the affairs of our   
sisters. The first law. I know. But Aeka is my sister too, and   
it's so bad...\\  
  
\\I am sorry Sasami. There is no other way.\\  
  
\\I know.\\  
  
\\Ready yourself then, Sasami. It is time.\\  
  
Tsunami whispered Aeka's name and two points of light   
appeared upon the princess' forehead. In the language known on   
Jurai as the voices of times past, the language of the trees,   
Tsunami whispered, "It is time. Remember."  
  
Aeka stiffened and her eyes snapped open. Her mouth opened   
but only a strangled choke emerged.  
  
"I'm sorry, Aeka," Sasami whispered as she stepped out of the   
tent, "There is no other way."  
  
* * *  
  
Washuu woke to the sound of sobbing outside her tent. When   
she opened the door flap she found Aeka kneeling there, her face   
flushed red and tears streaming down her cheeks. Washuu started   
to ask what was wrong but, as sleep receded, she saw other things   
about Aeka's appearance that froze her voice in her throat.   
Aeka's clothes were torn as though someone had tried to rip them   
away to expose her chest, what was left of them was covered in   
vomit and her fingers were smeared in blood. Blood obviously from   
the deep gouges scored across her breasts where she had ripped at   
her own body.  
  
Washuu tried to find her voice again, tried to ask what had   
happened, what could possibly be happening to make Aeka do such a   
thing to herself, but Aeka spoke first.   
  
"Washuu," she begged in a voice choked with fear, pain, and   
disgust, "Washuu, you must help me, Washuu. You must... You have   
to get it out..." Aeka looked up at her then, her eyes so full of   
fear that Washuu wanted only to comfort her, to take away whatever   
could be so frightening her.  
  
"It'll be okay," Washuu comforted, "Slow down Aeka, what's   
wrong? What's going on? Why did you do this to yourself?"  
  
Aeka shook her head and choked out, "No time... No time...   
You have to get it out Washuu, it's inside me and you have to get   
it out! I can feel it, I don't know how I didn't before, but I   
can feel it now and you have to get it out! You have to! Oh   
please Washuu, please.. please..." Aeka's voice broke and she   
fell to sobbing again, weakly scraping at her already damaged   
chest. Washuu grabbed her hands, pulling them away before they   
could do more damage. She had no idea what was going on, but she   
was going to find out.  
  
  
Washuu looked at the thing floating in stasis and then back   
at the princess lying in a regenerative field over one of her   
suspension beds. According to her analysis the horrible little   
device was a subspace transmitter, one cloaked with a technology   
she barely understood ever after having disassembled it. Somehow   
Aeka had shut it down with a burst of Jurai energy while it was   
still buried in her chest. Had she not Washuu doubted she would   
ever have found it.  
  
In form the device resembled a ten-legged spider with no   
head, only a flat, grey disk of a body where the transmissions   
gear was located. It had apparently stopped transmitting when   
Aeka did whatever it was she had done to shut it down and now   
Washuu could find no way to start it again. Whatever band it had   
sent its messages on, and whatever those messages may have   
contained, would remain forever a mystery.  
  
*Unless,* Washuu thought as she turned back to Aeka's   
floating form once more, *Unless she has the answers locked away   
in her head.*  
  
  
Washuu hesitated as she lowered the scanning gear into place   
around Aeka's head. She did not want to do this without the   
princess' permission, but it would be hours before Aeka regained   
consciousness and sufficient awareness to give it. And whatever   
that thing Washuu had taken out of Aeka's chest was, it was   
obviously not something meant to be there. She had to find out   
what it was, why it was there, and who was receiving whatever   
transmissions it sent before they came to find out why their   
little spy had stopped talking.   
  
*Forgive me, Aeka,* Washuu thought as she engaged the memory   
resonators, *I have no choice.*  
  
  
Aeka smiled as she loosened the ties from her hair for the   
night. It had been a wonderful evening and she could not remember   
a time in recent memory when she had felt so alive. Shiko was an   
awful singer, but the karaoke bar had been fun and, despite her   
apprehensions about Australian food, dinner had been pleasant.   
Shiko was such a kind, gentle boy and, once he got past his   
initial mistrust of her motives, so much more open about his   
feelings than Tenchi had ever been.   
  
Aeka began brushing her long purple hair with slow strokes   
while she played back the events of the evening again in her mind.   
She blushed at the memory of how Shiko had looked at her while   
reading poetry to her over dinner and felt her face darken to an   
even deeper shade as she remembered taking his hand and kissing   
his cheek when they arrived back at the house, thanking him for   
giving her such a wonderful evening.   
  
The princess sighed then, hoping she was not acting too   
rashly. The pain of losing Tenchi was still fresh in her heart   
and she feared she was rushing headlong into Shiko's arms only to   
dull it. *Am I truly interested in him,* Aeka wondered, *Or is it   
only my longing for love that I want to fulfill?*  
  
Aeka sighed again and put down her brush. "Oh, Shiko... If   
only..."  
  
As though summoned by her thoughts Shiko's voice came through   
the door, "Aeka? Can I talk to you?"  
  
  
Aeka looked around the guest bedroom nervously. He had   
invited her to his room to avoid waking Sasami, but she feared he   
might have gotten the wrong impression for her behavior earlier.   
*I shouldn't have kissed him,* Aeka thought helplessly, *Now he'll   
expect more than I want to give.*  
  
But Shiko didn't come toward her for another kiss, he only   
went and sat down on his bed while she remained standing near the   
door. He was looking down at the floor and Aeka wondered   
momentarily if perhaps he had fallen asleep sitting like that, his   
body seemed so relaxed. When he looked back up at her there was   
something deep and awful in his eyes. Aeka looked away,   
uncomfortable with the strange intensity of his gaze.  
  
"You've been lying to me, Aeka."  
  
She looked back then, startled. "What.. what do you mean,   
Shiko? What have I lied about?" *He can't know,* Aeka thought as   
she said it, *I let nothing slip. I was so careful, he can't know   
I'm anything more than the cousin to Tenchi I've pretended...*  
  
"You've been lying," Shiko repeated, "You lied about who you   
were, and you've lied about other things too."  
  
"But," Aeka started in disbelief, "How... What.. what are you   
talking about? I haven't lied..."  
  
"You're lying again, Aeka."   
  
Aeka shook her head and stopped trying to speak. She did not   
know how he knew, but obviously he did. She did not look back up   
until she felt his hand on her arm. He was gripping her hard,   
painfully hard, and he was standing close enough that she could   
feel his breath on her face. When she looked up at him, startled,   
he frowned and those strange, hard eyes bored into her. They were   
nothing like the eyes he had looked at her out of over dinner, the   
color was the same but there was such pain and such anger there...  
  
"You've lied to me Aeka, and you must never do that."  
  
"Shiko," Aeka protested, trying to pull away, "Stop Shiko,   
you're hurting me."  
  
He didn't let go, only squeezed harder and shook her. "You   
lied! You're not Tenchi's cousin at all. I can't stand liars   
Aeka."  
  
Aeka shook her head in confused distress and tried again to   
pull away. *He's so strong,* Aeka thought fearfully, *How can he   
be so strong?*  
  
"You know what kind of women lie, Aeka?" Shiko asked in a   
low voice full of scorn, "Whores. Whores lie, Aeka. Real women   
don't lie."  
  
"How.. how Dare you?!" Aeka pulled harder against his grip   
but still could not break free. "How Dare you call me that! Have   
you any idea who I am, you... You...."  
  
"Who?" Shiko asked, those awful eyes gleaming, "Who are you,   
Aeka?" He shook her again, squeezing her arm so hard she was   
afraid he would break it.  
  
"I am Aeka," she said proudly, ignoring the pain to stand   
straight, "Of the House Jurai. If you do not release me this   
instant, you wretched little boy, I will make you regret your   
actions."  
  
*What am I doing?!* Aeka thought in horror, *What am I   
saying? Tenchi will never forgive me if I give away our real   
story...* But everything seemed so confusing suddenly, it was so   
hard to think clearly...  
  
"I said release me," Aeka heard her voice saying, "Release   
me now or suffer for your insolence!"  
  
"You lied, Aeka," Shiko said softly, showing no sign of   
releasing her arm, "You lied and now You have to suffer for it.   
I'm sorry, Aeka. I don't want to do this, but you've given me no   
choice."  
  
Shiko drew back and punched her, hard, in the stomach. Aeka   
doubled over in pain and gasped for air that suddenly did not seem   
to want to fill her lungs. Shiko released his hold on her arm and   
she collapsed to the floor, curling up in pain. Aeka looked up at   
him through a haze of pain-wrought tears and wondered how he could   
possibly be so strong. No human his size should have been able to   
hurt her that badly with one blow, it should not be possible. She   
was Jurain, of the noble house. Her body was the finest that   
Jurain medical technicians could create from her parents' genetic   
code.   
  
"I'm sorry Aeka," Shiko said, some of the softness returning   
to his eyes for a moment, "I didn't want to do that. But you   
don't want to be a whore, do you Aeka? You don't want to be a   
lying slut, do you?" Shiko shook his head sadly and when he   
spoke again Aeka felt her confusion turn to horrified shock, for   
he spoke now in the House tongue, a language only taught to those   
of royal blood on Jurai, "Sometimes words and lessons are not   
enough. Sometimes pain must be the word and solitude the lesson."  
  
Aeka gasped, her body stiffening as the sudden flood of   
memory overtook her. Those words... Her father spoke those words,   
long ago and far away. She had forgotten.. had made herself   
forget. But now they came back to her. She remembered arguing   
with Yousho, remembered arranging to have him catch her with a   
handsome servant in order to teach him a lesson, and winced at the   
childish ignorance of her actions then. But her wince turned to   
deeper pain as she remembered her father, not her brother,   
catching her in the falsified act of kissing the servant. He flew   
into a rage and accused her of disgracing him by sullying herself   
with a commoner when she was promised to one of royal blood.   
Funaho tried to stop him, but he took a cane to her back and said   
those same words Shiko had spoken now before locking her away in a   
dark room with her pain and her tears for two whole days.   
  
Aeka trembled with the pain inspired by the memory, flinched   
from the savageness of her father's beating as it came to her from   
the mists of the forgotten past. And, she realized, that was not   
the only time. There had not been many occasions when she had   
inspired that fury in him, but when she did the words were always   
the same. He would look at her, his eyes full of pity for his   
daughter who could not seem to learn what was proper, and he would   
say those same words, "Sometimes words and lessons are not enough.   
Sometimes pain must be the word and solitude the lesson." And   
then he would beat her and lock her away with her thoughts. She   
realized as the memories came flooding back that it was his   
actions which had so inspired her propriety. Other members of the   
royal houses were not so prim as she realized she had been, it was   
out of fear of her father's anger that she had so long carefully   
controlled her behavior. And now, as the pain of those lessons   
swept through her, melding with the confusion and anger she felt   
toward Shiko, she curled further in on herself and wept.  
  
  
After that horrible night Aeka pushed the memories away once   
more. Shiko acted as though it had never happened, and she hoped   
that if she were careful she could avoid inspiring his anger once   
more, avoid incurring his wrath the way she had avoided her   
father's. It went well, so long as she told him only the truth.   
She did not know how Shiko could possibly have gained all the   
knowledge he seemed to have, but asking him brought that   
frightening look to his face and she had learned to avoid it. Now   
she did not mention Jurai or, in fact, anything beyond the   
boundaries of Earth when they spoke unless he brought it up. They   
continued reading poetry together and Aeka discovered Shiko shared   
her appreciation for the other arts as well. They listened to   
music together, went into town to visit an art gallery, and spent   
long hours talking. So long as she could avoid thinking of that   
one awful night Aeka could believe she was happy with him.   
  
But then it happened again, and after the second time his   
anger seemed to come more quickly and with less provocation.   
Sometimes she would say something without thinking, or she would   
mention Tenchi, and that horrible aspect would return to Shiko's   
features. At first she tried to defend herself, to protest that   
she had done nothing to deserve the treatment he gave her in those   
times, but he was so strong, and something about the way he looked   
at her made it so hard to think properly. She would start out   
blustering and trying to escape him, but would end up a weeping   
wreck on the floor, bearing more bruises to attest to the lessons   
Shiko always apologized so profusely for having to inflict on her.   
And each time it happened the little voice in Aeka's mind that   
shouted that this was wrong, that there was something horribly,   
horribly wrong here and that she should run, should go to Tenchi   
or Ryouko or Washuu and make them stop Shiko, drew further away   
and became harder to hear. Shiko told her that Tenchi did not   
love her, that he had never loved her and that she should forget   
him. He had Ryouko now and would have no interest in Aeka. He   
explained to her that Tenchi hated her because she lied, lied to   
him and to herself. Shiko told her that she had been a lying   
whore of the worst kind, she had let Tenchi rape her emotions with   
his uncaring attitude and had accepted it with a willing smile.  
  
At first Aeka tried to argue, tried to say that it was not   
true and that Tenchi did love her. She knew he did not love her   
as the prospective wife she once hoped to be, but she tried to   
insist that he loved her as a friend and a member of his family.   
But every time Shiko would growl in the House tongue that she was   
only lying to herself and slowly Aeka came to believe it. So now   
she did not talk about Tenchi in front of Shiko and tried to avoid   
thinking about him otherwise. Sometimes Shiko would mention   
Tenchi, and when he called his cousin by his first name Aeka knew   
it was okay to smile and agree with whatever he had said. It was   
when he referred to Tenchi as only 'Masaki,' his voice dripping   
hatred, that Aeka knew to give the feelings he was forcing into   
her with his fists voice. But those times, too, she pushed away   
and tried to forget. When Shiko was happy, when she did nothing   
to bring on his violence, he was still a gentle and caring young   
man who shared many of her interests. And if she buried memories   
of his lessons the way she had memories of her father's, if she   
pretended she had fallen down the stairs or bumped into a door to   
gain the bruises that slowly crept across her body, if she thought   
of him only as the gentle young man who had taken her to dinner   
that night, she could pretend she was happy. She could live her   
life in a pleasant fantasy where Shiko loved her the way Tenchi   
never had, where she was not alone and where life had meaning.   
Aeka became very good at pretending.  
  
So when Aeka woke and thought to take Shiko up the mountain   
for a picnic it was without thinking of his horrible violence,   
thinking only of sitting in the sun with him while he read to her.   
But when she entered his room he was angry. He was pacing back   
and forth, the fearful gleam she had come to recognize as a sign   
of his anger flashing in his eyes.   
  
"Masaki is on to me," he mumbled, seemingly ignoring her   
presence and speaking only to himself, "He must be. I can't get   
near the bitch without him being there..."  
  
Suddenly he looked up at Aeka, as though realizing only then   
that she was there despite having invited her in. "You," he said   
in a chillingly emotionless voice, "Take off your clothes."  
  
Aeka started and blustered, "What?! No! No, Shiko. I   
won't. You can't ask that." The tiny voice that had been fading   
away came rushing back into her mind and demanded she leave, right   
then and there. "I.. I'm going to go get Tenchi, Shiko. You..   
you've been..." But he was staring at her again and everything   
seemed so big and confusing suddenly. Thinking was like trying to   
push her way through a miasma of pain and confusion. She   
wanted... Wanted to go to Tenchi? But Tenchi hated her... Why,   
why did she want to go to him? Aeka shook her head, trying to   
clear it.  
  
"I said," Shiko growled in the House tongue, "Remove your   
clothes. Now, whore."  
  
Aeka tried to protest but found her hands moving   
automatically, untying her ubi and letting it fall to the ground.   
The words were there, buried in her mind, the anger that she knew   
she should feel lurked there, but it was so hard to do anything   
but obey...  
  
"Kneel," Shiko growled, "Kneel and perform the liann. Offer   
your body to me, whore. Offer yourself to me, Now."  
  
Aeka's mind raged as she tried to fight the darkness clouding   
her thoughts, tried to push away the pain of knowing Tenchi hated   
her, tried to avoid taking comfort in this awful man and tried to   
stop herself from complying. But the darkness pressed in and even   
the subdued rage receded, drawing further and further away. Aeka   
let her kimono slip from her shoulders and then removed her modest   
undergarments before sliding slowly to her knees, looking away   
from Shiko's face. Her mind was so numb she did not even blush at   
her nudity, she felt nothing at all. Only a vague wish to avoid   
his anger, avoid incurring another lesson.  
  
"The liann. Now."  
  
Aeka bowed her head and spread her arms wide, intoning the   
words of the ceremony she had never expected to perform, "I give   
you my body. I am unworthy of flesh and give it unto you that you   
may find my worth once more. I am nothing, I am dishonor. May   
the blade of atonement be true upon my flesh."  
  
Shiko stepped forward then and grasped her chin, raising her   
face to look up at his. Aeka tried to look away but he slapped   
her, backhanded across the face, and she pulled her eyes back to   
his.  
  
"She does not know I have this," Shiko said, obviously   
assuming Aeka would not understand and would doubtless not   
remember anyway, "I stole it from Clay's ship and she doesn't   
know. But we won't tell her, will we? No... Nobody will know but   
you and me, my little whore. And you won't tell, will you?"  
  
Shiko drew a small, grey object from his pocket and held it   
up. Aeka shuddered in something like horror as it spread ten   
little legs to wiggle in the air. She knew, distantly, that she   
should be scared, that she should be ashamed, but it was all so   
hard. It was so hard to care about anything.  
  
"Open your mouth, slut. Open wide and take it. You took   
Masaki's abuse for years and you liked it, you would have fucked   
him if he gave you half a chance, wouldn't you? Even after   
everything, you still love him." Shiko shook his head, "All of   
you are weak, weak little sluts and whores who fawn over Masaki   
like some kind of god. Masaki's no god, my little whore. I'm the   
only god here."  
  
Shiko pinched her mouth open and shoved the metallic grey   
insect in, squeezing her lips shut behind it when she tried to   
spit it out reflexively. Distantly Aeka felt it crawling down her   
throat and the last vestiges of emotion faded. She felt nothing.   
Nothing.  
  
When Shiko took out the knife and knelt to cut the words of   
the liann into her arms as tradition demanded she did not even   
watch. She only stared at the wall and felt the transmitter   
burrowing slowly into her body.  
  
  
"My god," Washuu whispered in horror as the last image faded   
from her mind. She lifted the reception band from her forehead   
and let it slip from her fingers, clattering to the ground.   
Washuu leaned heavily against the bed over which Aeka floated and   
tried to keep herself from vomiting. "My god," she gasped again,   
"The poor girl. The poor, poor girl... And she fought me, kept me   
from taking away the memories, just so she would be able to warn   
us."  
  
* * *  
  
"Tenchi, Ryouko, wake up. We need to talk."  
  
Tenchi opened his eyes groggily to find Washuu in their tent.   
  
"Good morning Washuu," Tenchi said blearily as he sat up in   
his sleeping bag.  
  
"What is it mom?" Ryouko asked, slightly annoyed at being   
woken up after a late night, though her annoyance faded quickly   
when she remembered why she was up late.  
  
"It's about Aeka," Washuu said seriously, "I'm sorry I had to   
wake you two, but I waited as long as I thought was safe."  
  
"Safe?" Tenchi asked, rubbing his head in tired confusion.  
  
Washuu sighed and said to her daughter, "Take us to the door   
to my lab please Ryouko? It will be easier if I can show you, but   
my portal gear is still rigged for Jurai and after last night I   
don't have the energy for teleportation."  
  
Ryouko looked at the concern in Washuu's eyes and nodded,   
taking one of her mother's hands and one of Tenchi's before moving   
back to the house.  
  
  
"And that's when I took off the receiver. I don't think   
there was any more, but I couldn't stand it. I don't know how she   
survived remembering that..." Washuu shook her head sadly as she   
finished her explanation of the previous night's events.  
  
"Aeka..." Ryouko's face was ashen and she clung tightly to   
Tenchi's arm. "God, I knew it was bad, but..."  
  
"We have to find him," Tenchi said, his voice low and his   
eyes distant, "We have to find him and kill him. He needs to   
die."  
  
Ryouko nodded, her eyes as distant as his.   
  
"I agree," Washuu said, "But we have to tell the others   
first. And figure out what to tell your friends. And how we're   
going to handle that thing when we find it." Washuu shook her   
head sadly, "I want it destroyed as badly as you do, but we can't   
just rush off swords in hand. You saw how powerful it is, Tenchi   
summoned the wings and it still repelled him with no obvious   
effort. And it has Tokimi behind it. From Aeka's memories I get   
the impression her servant was acting at least partially without   
her blessing, but I don't think she'll let us just destroy him out   
of hand."  
  
"What about Aeka?" Tenchi asked, trying to focus on   
something besides the anger he had no way to direct.  
  
"I've blocked some of the memories again," Washuu said,   
"They're still there, she still won't let me remove them for some   
reason, but I put back the mental blocks she had protecting   
herself from the worst of it. They'll dissolve on their own   
eventually, when she's ready to handle it, but judging by her   
psychic pattern when I brought her in last night the remembrance   
was somehow forced on her."  
  
"Alright," Tenchi said as he rose to his feet, Ryouko   
standing beside him, "Let's get back to camp before they miss us   
so we can figure out what to do now."  
  
"Let me wake Aeka," Washuu said, moving to the suspension bed   
where the princess hovered, "Her wounds are healed and she should   
be there for the discussion."  
  
"What will she remember mom?" Ryouko asked, her voice still   
soft and far away.  
  
"More than I like," Washuu said sadly, "I wanted to block it   
all, but she fought too hard. I managed to repress the worst of   
it, but she'll remember most of the details."  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey Tenchi!" Nobuyuki called to his son as he walked into   
camp with Ryouko, Washuu, and Aeka, "Where were you? We're going   
hiking but couldn't find the four of you."  
  
"We need to talk Dad," Tenchi said as they came to the middle   
of the campsite where the rest of the extended family was   
gathered, "All of us need to talk."  
  
"What's going on Tenchi?" Mataeo asked, thinking that the   
look on Tenchi's face was too similar to the one he had worn that   
night in the restaurant for comfort.  
  
//What do we do about Mat and Ai?// Tenchi asked Ryouko   
across their link.  
  
//We should tell them. They're our friends and we may not be   
coming back from this one. If we're going to tell them, we should   
do it now.//  
  
"Mat, Ai," Tenchi began, trying to decide how to even begin   
explaining the situation, "You know how you wanted to know about-"  
  
Tenchi stopped, looking around wildly.  
  
"Is that..." Tenchi asked slowly, trailing off in mid-  
thought as he turned, looking searchingly around the woods   
surrounding the clearing where they had set up camp. A moment   
later Ryouko gasped and grabbed his arm.  
  
"It's him, he's here."  
  
Mataeo looked back and forth between them, wondering what was   
going on. He was too concerned with his friends' strange behavior   
to notice when Washuu summoned her floating terminal saying,   
"You're right. The transmitter must have been on a regular cycle   
and he came to investigate when it didn't send an update... But I   
can't get a fix on him, there are subspace distortions all over   
the place..."  
  
"What's going on?" Ai asked nervously, "What is that thing   
Washuu? Who's here? What are you talking about?"  
  
Aeka clutched at her head suddenly, falling to her knees.   
She had been silent since entering camp but now she moaned   
something that Mataeo thought sounded like 'shiko.'  
  
"What the hell is going on Tenchi?" Mataeo asked, taking   
Ai's hand.  
  
"You remember when you called me by my last name, Mat?"   
Tenchi asked, continuing to look searchingly around the forest   
around them, "Remember how angry I got and how you wanted to know   
why?"  
  
"Yeah..." Mataeo answered slowly, trying to ignore the little   
cosmos of glyphs and symbols floating in front of Washuu like   
something out of a science fiction movie.  
  
"It's a really long story Mat," Tenchi said hurriedly, "And   
there's no time right now. But there's a.. thing.. that called me   
by my family name. It pretended to be my cousin and abused Aeka,   
then threatened to kill all of us before it disappeared. It   
implanted a transmitter in Aeka and Washuu took it out last night,   
now it's back. Somewhere... Are you having any luck Washuu? It's   
like he's all around us..."  
  
"Woah, Tenchi," Mataeo said, shaking his head, "You want to   
explain that again? This sounds like something out of a bad   
anime. A thing? Implanted a transmitter? And what the hell is   
Washuu doing?"  
  
"Mat," Ryouko said, turning to him while Tenchi closed his   
eyes and stood very still in the middle of the clearing, "I know   
how it must sound, but it's true. That thing is awful. If   
there's anything in the universe like evil incarnate, that thing   
is it. If it's here, there's going to be a fight. You and Ai get   
down out of the way somewhere and don't move. I don't care what   
happens, don't move. And if it looks like we're not going to come   
out on top, run. Just run away and don't look back and forget   
that you ever knew us."  
  
"That way!" Tenchi shouted, his eyes snapping open as he   
turned toward the side of the camp away from the trail.   
"Grandfather," Tenchi yelled to Katsuhito across the clearing,   
"My sword! It's in the tent!"  
  
Mihoshi moved out of the old man's way, explaining in a   
halting voice what was going on to Kiyone while Nobuyuki and   
Sasami tried to comfort Aeka.  
  
"Hang on Ryouko," Mataeo said slowly, trying to figure out   
what was going on amidst the sudden confusion, "I don't understand   
what's going on here, but if something's trying to hurt you I'm   
not going to go hide. You, Tenchi, and Sasami are my friends and   
I'm not going to stand by while my friends are hurt."  
  
"Yeah," Ai piped up, turning away from the lightshow in front   
of Washuu, "You know us better than that Ryouko."  
  
Ryouko looked nervously back at Tenchi, as if to make sure he   
were still there in camp, then turned back to them saying, "This   
isn't some guy with a grudge Ai. I'm sorry there's no time to   
explain it all, but that thing is getting closer. Just listen to   
me when I say you do Not want to mess with it. Please, go with   
Nobuyuki, Katsuhito, and Sasami. Mom will hide you."  
  
Mataeo started to protest again but Ryouko was already   
hurrying away from them toward Tenchi. Aeka was back on her feet   
now and standing beside Tenchi and Washuu who were peering at some   
sort of map hovering in the air.   
  
"Tenchi!" Katsuhito yelled as he emerged from the tent,   
"Here!"  
  
Mataeo watched what looked like a carved sword handle arc   
through the air into Tenchi's hand. Katsuhito gathered his son, a   
crying Sasami, and a nervous Ryou-ohki before nodding to Washuu.  
  
"Mataeo, Ai," Washuu said, looking up from her terminal, "Get   
over there with them."  
  
Mataeo wanted to argue but Ai took his arm and guided him   
toward the group. She did not know what was going on any more   
than he did, but it was obvious Tenchi and Ryouko were serious   
about this, and if their friends said they couldn't handle   
whatever was out there, she thought it was probably a good idea to   
listen.  
  
"MASAKI!" The shout rang through the forest in a voice like   
gravel on sheet metal, "Time to die Masaki!"  
  
"Holy crap," Mataeo said, looking around in a futile attempt   
to find the source of the awful voice, "What the hell was that?"  
  
"That," Tenchi said as Kiyone and Mihoshi joined the group   
at one end of the clearing and Washuu did something, causing an   
odd blue glow to grow around them, "That was my cousin."  
  
Ai reached out and touched the edge of the blue glow, but her   
hand met a growing resistance until finally she could push no   
further. She felt Katsuhito's hand on her shoulder and turned to   
look at the old man.  
  
"Do not be afraid, Miss Fujihara. Miss Washuu will protect   
is as best she can."  
  
"What's going on here Mister Masaki?" She asked   
respectfully, "I don't understand any of this..."  
  
Then the shadows exploded out of the forest.   
  
It was like the darkness was alive, Mataeo thought, like the   
shadows cast by the sun had come to life and were swarming the   
clearing. They gathered together across the clearing, forming a   
rough triangle with Tenchi, Ryouko, Washuu, and Aeka as one point   
and the rest of the group within their blue dome as the other.   
The darkness gained solidity and a figure stepped out of it. It   
was hard to tell if it was male or female under the great black   
cloak swirling around its shoulders. The head offered no help   
since it was nearly featureless. The skin was nearly translucent   
and entirely hairless and the face held only rudimentary features.   
The eyes were little more than holes, the mouth a simple gash   
across the lower face, and the nose a protrudence somewhat off-  
center between them. It had no ears to speak of, just two lumps   
where ears might have been and within the holes where eyes should   
be there were only glitteringly white orbs, totally lacking any   
sort of pupil. When it spoke the voice was an awful parody of a   
human voice, every syllable weighted with hatred and pain.  
  
"I told you I would be back, Masaki. Did you think I was   
joking? You dare to interfere with the little gift I gave the   
royal slut? I wasn't ready for our game yet, Masaki, but you've   
forced my hand."  
  
The figure raised one hand and something like a sword formed   
there. It was more, Mataeo thought, like a hole in the air than a   
sword. It was utterly black, blacker than the cloak around the   
figure's shoulders and blacker than the shadows from which it had   
emerged. It was like someone had taken a pair of scissors and cut   
a sword-shaped hole in the air, exposing a void beyond.  
  
When Tenchi stepped forward, placing himself between the   
black-cloaked figure and the three women, and raised the sword   
handle Mataeo was, somehow, totally unsurprised. A glowing blue   
brand grew from the end of the handle and Tenchi assumed a stance   
he did not recognize, but somehow it all seemed right to Mataeo.   
That his friend should be about to do battle with something out of   
a nightmare using a weapon that looked like a cross between   
something out of an American movie and a legend seemed right. It   
was like he had expected this all along but never realized until   
the moment arrived.  
  
Mataeo took Ai's hand and tried to smile supportively at her,   
then turned to watch his best friend fight for his family's life.  
  
  
Tenchi stepped forward and let the blade of the master key   
form. He felt Ryouko's fear and anger flowing uncontrolled across   
their bond and could hear Aeka's panting breath as she forced   
herself to stay though he knew she must want to run from the thing   
which had inhabited Shiko's body.   
  
"I'm not the one that's going to die today," Tenchi growled   
at it, "You're going to suffer for what you did to her."  
  
It laughed and replied, "Good! I was afraid you might just   
give up Masaki, you have no hope of winning but I was afraid you   
might not even bother trying. Come on then, you've forced my game   
before I wanted, let's get it over with."  
  
Ryouko formed her energy sword and started forward when   
Tenchi began moving toward the black figure, but Washuu grabbed   
her wrist and held her back.  
  
"No, Ryouko. It's either the three of us or Tenchi. I don't   
know how your power will react with the combination of his and the   
dark energy that thing is using, Tenchi's wings will overload   
Aeka's nervous system if she's too close, and I'm afraid I don't   
have the weapons with me to even touch that thing."  
  
"So what am I supposed to do? Just watch them fight and hope   
he wins?!"  
  
Washuu nodded sadly, "That's all we Can do."  
  
"He's not going to win," Aeka said quietly, startling them   
both. Besides her moan before she had not said anything since   
Washuu woke her in the lab, "Shiko is too strong, Tenchi can't   
win. You have to do something Miss Washuu, use your machines and   
get us out of here before he kills Tenchi. Please..."  
  
"That isn't Tenchi's cousin," Ryouko growled, "It's some kind   
of.. of Thing that Tokimi created. And Tenchi Will win."  
  
Washuu was frowning and tapping at her keyboard. "I don't   
know Ryouko, the power he's drawing is phenomenal. Tokimi must be   
backing him, there's no way any physical object could handle that   
much dark energy without being ripped into its component   
particles. I'm going to warm up the portal generator, if it   
doesn't look good I'm getting us all to Jurai. With Tsunami there   
he should not be able to follow."  
  
Aeka looked startled, some energy momentarily coming to her   
nearly lifeless eyes.   
  
"No," she whispered, "I can't..." Aeka sighed and shook her   
head, "Yes, take us to Jurai Miss Washuu. Quickly, you must   
hurry.. Shiko is so strong..."  
  
  
"This isn't right," Sasami said behind Mataeo, a tone in her   
voice he did not recognize, "It should not happen this way. He is   
beyond her control, this is wrong..."  
  
  
Tenchi leapt at the black figure, Tenchi-ken arcing downward   
only to be blocked easily by the thing's black sword. Tenchi   
attacked again and again, every time being blocked easily by the   
thing's sword. It did not attack, did not even move. It simply   
swung the sword around with amazing speed at every attack,   
catching Tenchi-ken and repelling Tenchi's attack.  
  
//Tenchi, what are you doing? Summon the wings Tenchi, you   
can't win like this.//  
  
//No,// Tenchi responded between attacks, //No, I can   
win...//  
  
//No you can't Tenchi,// Ryouko sent desperately, //You   
haven't even touched him! When that thing actually attacks you're   
not going to have a chance!//  
  
//I can't, Ryouko. I can't...//  
  
"Mom," Ryouko turned desperately to Washuu, "Get that portal   
open quick. Tenchi can't summon the wings. That thing is going   
to kill him..."  
  
"What?" Aeka looked surprised, "Why can't he?"  
  
Ryouko shook her head, "He's afraid... After what happened   
on Christmas he's afraid he won't be able to control them..."  
  
"But that's-" Aeka stopped when the being Tenchi was   
futilely attacking took a step. It caught Tenchi-ken by the blade   
in its free hand and laughed.  
  
"Time to die Masaki! I thought you were going to fight me,   
not play." It raised the black sword over its head and grinned   
awfully, delaying the final blow.  
  
//Tenchi!//  
  
//No, I can't... I almost...//  
  
//Do it Tenchi!//  
  
//I almost killed you...//  
  
//I'd rather die at your hands than watch you die to that   
thing.//  
  
//No...//  
  
//Do it Tenchi! I'm not watching you die after you promised   
to marry me!//  
  
//I can't...//  
  
//You can! Do it! I believe in you Tenchi, you can do   
this.//  
  
//I...//  
  
//Tenchi, remember the ribbon Tenchi? Remember how you felt?   
Don't do this to me Tenchi.//  
  
//For you,// Tenchi sent, the whole exchanging having taken   
only moments, //For you Ryouko. But the gods forgive me.//  
  
Tenchi opened himself to the power and it poured through him.  
  
  
"This is wrong," Sasami repeated, stepping forward, past   
Mataeo. She reached up to the blue dome and it melted away. "She   
has lost control of her servant and these are no longer the   
affairs of my sister."  
  
  
Aeka fell to her knees, grasping her head, but Ryouko and   
Washuu were too focused on Tenchi to notice.  
  
  
The wings of the Lighthawk exploded into being between Tenchi   
and his opponent. They were solid white, as intense in their   
opacity as the darkness of the black sword. Tenchi's opponent was   
blown backward, skidding meters across the forest floor before   
coming to a halt. Tenchi raised his hand and touched the wings,   
white-green fire arcing between them. The wings dissolved at his   
touch, melting and combining to form a blade too bright in its   
fury to look at directly. He stepped forward toward the thing on   
the ground, raising the sword over his head.  
  
  
Ryouko felt frantically for her link to Tenchi, but it was   
gone. The bond between them melted away under the power of the   
wings and she could not find it. The last thing she felt before   
it vanished was the pain, the horrible pain of the power burning   
through Tenchi's body.  
  
"Almost..." Washuu tapped hurriedly at her keyboard and   
slammed her finger against the final key triumphantly, "Got it!"  
  
The portal sprang into being in the center of the clearing, a   
disk of red light blurring into the air around it in a way that   
made the eye want to slide off of the edges.  
  
  
Tokimi's servant looked up as Tenchi approached, the sword   
raised for a killing blow. "I have won," it growled, "You have   
lost your humanity, Masaki. It's burnt away under the power and   
you are no better than I. I've won!"  
  
Tenchi halted in his approach, lowering the sword slowly.   
The fire in his eyes dimmed slowly and finally flickered out. He   
shook his head, fighting the power for control of his body. The   
thing was right, if he let go of himself to beat it he was no   
better than it was. He would kill them all when it was dead, he   
knew it.   
  
*No,* Tenchi screamed within his mind, *No! I won't be like   
that!*  
  
  
Ryouko watched as Tenchi clutched his head in his hands, the   
Lighthawk sword gone. She could feel the link again and felt his   
confusion through it. Then she saw the thing on the ground raise   
its hand.  
  
"Tenchi! No!"   
  
But Ryouko's shout did not halt the power gathering in the   
palm of Tokimi's servant. The sphere of darkness expanded quickly   
and the thing grinned again as it released it. The resultant bar   
of darkness shot through Tenchi's shoulder, passing through him as   
easily as the air. It flickered and disappeared quickly, leaving   
a gaping wound in Tenchi's shoulder where it had passed, the edges   
crackling with arcs of darkness.  
  
"No!" Ryouko shouted again, rushing forward, "No! No, no,   
no, no, NO!"  
  
Tenchi fell to the ground limp and lay there unmoving as   
Ryouko shot across the clearing. Tokimi's servant struggled to   
stand but its legs appeared to have been broken by the power of   
the wings.  
  
Ryouko opened herself to the gems. All her existence she had   
drawn their power carefully, using what was needed for her purpose   
and no more. Now she simply released her hold over their power,   
drawing it without purpose or plan, only with the knowledge that   
that thing had hurt, possibly killed, her Tenchi and that it could   
not be allowed to exist.  
  
  
Tsunami's eyes widened and she gasped as the power surged   
into Ryouko. When the wings formed before the cyan haired woman   
the goddess' aspect left Sasami and the girl collapsed to the   
ground.  
  
  
Ryouko was not aware of the Lighthawk wings forming before   
her. She was not aware of the way she pushed and shaped the   
energy flowing through her body or conscious of raising her hands   
toward the struggling being on the ground. She was aware only of   
Tenchi's pain in the moments before his consciousness fled from   
their bond after Tokimi's servant hit him.  
  
  
The blast rocked Washuu backward off of her feet. Tenchi had   
always summoned the wings either in their defensive form or in the   
form of the sword. Ryouko did neither. She summoned their power   
and released it in a single burst at the thing lying on the ground   
before her.  
  
When the smoke cleared the body of Tokimi's servant was gone.   
All that remained were Tenchi's still form, Ryouko, and a deep   
hole in the ground.   
  
Ryouko collapsed to her knees beside Tenchi, tears streaming   
down her face. She grabbed his limp form and held it against her   
chest, sobbing his name over and over.  
  
Washuu looked down at her terminal and gasped.   
  
"Ryouko!" Washuu shouted, "It's not dead! It's re-forming,   
get him through the portal! Now!"  
  
Ryouko looked up at her mother through the haze of tears,   
understanding coming only slowly. Finally she stood, holding   
Tenchi in her arms and nodded to Washuu before heading for the   
portal.   
  
"Everyone," Washuu yelled, "Go through! It shouldn't be able   
to follow us there!"  
  
  
Washuu monitored the subspace activity while they vanished   
through the portal. Tokimi's servant was rebuilding its body   
quickly and would be back in minutes. When she dismissed her   
terminal only Katsuhito was left this side of Jurai.   
  
"Go through, Lord Katsuhito. I'll issue the shutdown command   
on my way after you."  
  
"No," Katsuhito shook his head and picked up Tenchi-ken where   
Tenchi dropped it, "I can't go back there Miss Washuu. That part   
of my life is over now, I will stay here and hold it off while you   
get them to safety."  
  
Washuu could not believe what she was hearing. "What?! Are   
you insane? You saw what it did to Tenchi, you wouldn't last five   
seconds!"  
  
"Nevertheless, it is what I must do."  
  
"Get through the portal, Lord Katsuhito. I'm not letting you   
play the tragic samurai this time. It shouldn't be able to follow   
us to Jurai and you can't stop it if it can."  
  
"No, Miss Washuu. I can not return to Jurai. This is my   
world now, my life."  
  
"This will be your death in a minute!"  
  
Katsuhito sighed and closed his eyes, "So be it. My life is   
here, so will be my death."  
  
Washuu grabbed his chin and held his face where she could   
look into his eyes when she said, "God damn you Katsuhito. You   
aren't doing this to me. Get through the portal, now, or I'll   
throw you through it myself!"  
  
"You called me Katsuhito."  
  
"Yes, now get through the portal!"  
  
"I cannot," Katsuhito said sadly, "Jurai is my home no   
longer."  
  
"God damn you!" Washuu shouted, inches from his face, "I   
love you, you old fool! I'm not letting you die for no reason!"  
  
"We do what we must in life, Washuu," Katsuhito said, his   
voice full of pain.  
  
Washuu let go of his face and looked down.  
  
"Forgive me Katsuhito," she sighed.  
  
"There is nothing to forgive Washuu. Go, our destinies were   
set long ago."  
  
"You're right," Washuu said, a ball of energy forming in her   
hand, "And this is what I must do."  
  
Katsuhito flew backward through the portal when Washuu   
released the energy blast into his chest, letting it dissipate   
into the air as much as possible to avoid blowing a hole in him.  
  
Washuu issued the shutdown command to her portal generator   
and stepped through, the shimmering red disk shrinking into   
nothingness behind her.  
  
* * *  



	4. Change

**Note**  
**This is chapter four of On Pale Wings I Fly. If you have not  
**read chapter one, you are in the wrong place. Otherwise, all  
**the disclaimers and such from chapter one apply here as well.  
**-- Krin (krin@hotmail.com)  
**/Note**  
  
-- four --  
change  
  
Ai's whole body tingled. After the strangely timeless step   
through a universe of streaming reds and yellows that brought her   
from the campground at Iizuna to wherever she was now it seemed   
like the most likely cause. But as long seconds flowed by the   
tingling took on new dimensions. It was not really her whole   
body, she realized, not all at once. It came and went, surging   
through her from one part to another and then fading away.  
  
"You..." The voice seemed to be at once all around her and   
only inside her head. It spoke slowly, and though she understood   
the word clearly as it was spoken the memory of the voice seemed   
to skitter away, avoiding study.   
  
"You are unknown to us..." The cadence of the speech was   
strange and Ai realized it was not speaking Japanese. Nor was it   
Chinese or English, the other two languages she knew well. What   
language was being spoken or how she understood it, however, were   
beyond her. Trying to think about the words themselves was   
strangely difficult, like trying to remember something from long   
ago that you had not realized was worth remembering at the time.  
  
"Who are you? Unknown, so strange..."  
  
"I..." Ai spoke aloud, unsure how else to respond, "I am   
Fujihara Ai. Who are you? Where are you?"  
  
Ai looked around herself, only now really taking in where she   
was standing. The voice, coming almost immediately after she   
stepped through the portal, had so startled her that she had not   
really even realized that she was in a different place.  
  
The walls were distant. Or, possibly, Ai reflected, the   
strange whiteness surrounding her was some sort of fog and the   
walls were invisible within it. Whatever the case, she stood on a   
wide white walkway, featurelessly smooth but not slick. Above and   
below her she could see other walkways running at all angles back   
and forth. She tried to trace one all the way to a wall, but they   
always seemed to turn and double back, or curve down and intersect   
one another. None seemed to run very far into the distance and   
none seemed ever to end, though she could almost swear she had   
traced four of them with her eyes to have them all intersect in   
the same spot, though it was obvious that spot was a continuous,   
single span.  
  
Here and there, dotting the walkways, were little islands.   
They were about three times the width of the rest of the path and   
centered in each was a pond. And from the ponds rose trees. She   
did not recognize the type of tree, but that was unsurprising.   
She thought she could probably tell an oak from a maple, and a   
deciduous from a conifer, but beyond that Ai was not one for the   
wondrous world of tree identification.   
  
The strange way that things seemed simultaneously near and   
far kept her from really telling how big the trees were. There   
was one up the path from her a little ways, but she could not tell   
if that little ways was a few feet, or a hundred yards.  
  
"Fujihara..." The voice came again, startling Ai once more.   
It had been silent for nearly a minute while she looked around,   
and now it spoke with a strangeness that was not present before.   
Ai tried to pin it down, but the voice was so foreign she could   
not define the emotion.  
  
"You are not of the House. Yet you are.. Other. But you   
speak with the voices of past times. Explain to us..."  
  
"I... I don't know what you're talking about. Who are you?   
Where are my friends? What is this place?"  
  
"So many questions..." The voice seemed to chuckle, though   
it was really nothing at all like laughter, "So many questions for   
one so small in time... We are Jurai, Other... You are within us   
as we are within you... Your friends, Other? There are more...   
More Others here..."  
  
Images rushed through Ai's mind, a flood of them coming one   
atop the other, but each somehow distinct and separate, a moment   
frozen out of time's flow and preserved in crystalline perfection.   
Ai saw people, men, women, children, people of all ages walking   
the paths. Hundreds upon hundreds, thousands even, thousands of   
people wearing clothing from kimonos to bizarre things of flowing   
veils and shining metal. Within the vast flow she saw her   
friends, and her attention seemed to bring them to the forefront.  
  
"Those..." the voice intoned, "Those Others are within us...   
They are here in the time called Now..."  
  
"Where?" Ai asked desperately, she was so confused. First   
everything in the clearing, things she would have sworn a day ago   
were impossible, now she was here, wherever here was, talking to a   
voice in a language she did not know surrounded by strangely   
distant but always close trees. Ai felt tears forming, her mind   
was aswarm with confused emotions. "I just want Mat. I just want   
to go to Mat and go home..."  
  
"Home?" the voice asked, "You are home, Other... You are   
within Jurai..."  
  
"Ai!" Ai turned at Ryouko's voice and saw her friend   
staggering toward her, carrying Tenchi in her arms though she   
looked on the verge of collapse. "Ai! Help me!"  
  
Ai ran to her, unsure if she covered the distance quickly or   
if it took minutes, and put her arms under Tenchi's shoulders to   
take some of the weight off of Ryouko. Tenchi's upper body was   
covered in blood and the wound in his chest, somewhat off-center   
to the right, sparkled with something like black electricity.  
  
"Is he..." Ai couldn't finish the question.  
  
"No," Ryouko said quickly, "No, he's alive. I can feel him   
in there, but he's slipping away. We have to get out of here and   
find my mother."  
  
"He will not live..."  
  
"What?" Ai asked, looking around, "How can you know that?   
Who Are you?!"  
  
"We are Jurai..." The voice said with infinite patience, "He   
will not live in his state... The darkness draws his life   
away..."  
  
"Then help me! Help him! Where are we?!"  
  
"He will not live through enough of the time called Now to   
reach the end of us... You will have to be our hands, Other..."  
  
"Who are you talking to Ai? Is someone here? Did that thing   
follow us?" Ryouko asked worriedly, looking around.  
  
"You don't hear it?" Ai asked, "The voice? It says Tenchi   
won't live unless I do something..."  
  
"What?" Ryouko looked doubtful, "Are you okay Ai? No,   
nevermind, I need to get him out of here. He's slipping..."  
  
"What do I need to do?" Ai asked the air, "Show me, I don't   
understand..."  
  
"You do not do, Other... You are Other, we are Jurai... We   
do, you are..."  
  
  
"Put him down," Ai said, her voice distant and her eyes   
looking somewhere past Ryouko's shoulder, "Lay him down on the   
path."  
  
"What?" Ryouko looked behind her but saw nothing but more of   
the pathway and the trees, "We have to get him out..."  
  
"No," Ai said gently but still very far away, "He cannot live   
that long. Lay him down."  
  
"No," Ryouko shook her head, "I'm not giving up... I'll find   
a way, he has to live, he has to..." Ryouko started to turn away   
but Ai grabbed her shoulder, turning her back to face her.  
  
"You must trust us, Masaki Ryouko," Ai said, staring through   
her into the white distance, "If this Other will live you must   
trust us and the Other who is our hands."  
  
"I..." Ryouko trailed off, not sure what she was about to   
say. She did not understand why Ai was acting the way she was,   
but she could not seem to care either.  
  
Ryouko looked down at Tenchi and felt for him through their   
bond. His life was going quickly, being drained away by the dark   
energy suffused in the edges of the wound, and it was becoming   
harder and harder to find the spark of being deep down within his   
unconscious mind.  
  
He would have been dead long ago, Ryouko knew, if it were not   
for the dark energy slowing his body down as it drained away his   
life. She could feel his heart beating very slowly, only three or   
four times a minute, and he had taken only one long, ragged,   
gurgling breath in the time since she had stepped through the   
portal. But the darkness sucking away at his essence was killing   
him as surely as the wounds would have. Ryouko was letting some   
of her own life energy flow out of the gems and into his body,   
supplanting the flow through the darkness into subspace with her   
own life to preserve what little was left of his. It was a   
careful balance though, if she let too much of her power into him   
it would push the darkness away and his body would return to   
normal, killing him when his brain ran out of oxygen, and if she   
used too little the darkness would smother him entirely. She   
could not hold that razor's edge much longer.  
  
Ai was right, she realized, there was no way she could get   
Tenchi out of this place in time to save him. Even if Washuu   
appeared right then and they went straight to the lab Ryouko was   
not sure there would be a way to repair the damage that had   
already been done. If Ai could help him, though Ryouko did not   
see how it was possible, she had to let her try.  
  
"Okay, Ai," Ryouko said slowly, lowering Tenchi to the floor   
gently, "But if you don't save him..."  
  
"We will try," Ai said, kneeling over Tenchi.  
  
"We?" Ryouko asked, but Ai was no longer paying attention.   
Her eyes were closed and she had placed her hands on Tenchi's neck   
and chest. A strange, pale green light was growing around them   
and Ryouko felt Jurain energy flowing out of her friend.  
  
Ryouko watched Ai doing what she would have said was   
impossible, but could not find the will to be shocked. From the   
moment Tokimi's servant shot Tenchi she had been unable to feel   
anything. She realized, distantly, that they were on Jurai, in   
the sacred hall where the ship trees were grown, and that her   
friend Ai was somehow using Jurain power to heal Tenchi, but   
feeling his life through their bond, so distant and so dim when it   
had always been close and bright, she could not make herself care.   
The only thing she cared about was Tenchi.  
  
The green light intensified and Ai shuddered. Tenchi gasped   
and his eyes fluttered open momentarily, the marks of his   
birthright glowing briefly on his forehead. Then they disappeared   
and his eyes shut once more, but he was breathing again, if slowly   
and raggedly, and the arcs of dark energy were gone from his   
wound.  
  
"It is done," Ai said, standing, "This Other is not deeply   
enough within us for the power needed to revive him, but he is no   
longer dying. There is another, lying along the path. He will   
need healing as well, but he will show you the way to ones who can   
help."  
  
  
Ai blinked and looked around, down at Tenchi on the path and   
at Ryouko gaping at her.  
  
"Wh.. what happened? What did I just do?"  
  
Ryouko did not respond, only knelt beside Tenchi's still form   
and stroked his blood-smeared face.  
  
"I.." Ai's hand went to her forehead and she shook her head   
slowly, her eyes closed, "I don't understand. They.. they showed   
me how, but I don't know what I did."  
  
Ryouko looked up at her, her eyes full of joyous gratitude,   
and said, "You saved him Ai... His life was going, but you   
stopped it. I don't know how you did it, but you pushed the   
darkness out of the wound and healed his body enough that he isn't   
bleeding to death.."  
  
Ai furrowed her brow in confusion, "Darkness? What? I..   
it's so hard to think..."  
  
Ryouko stood and wrapped her arms around Ai, crushing her in   
an embrace while thanking her again and again for saving her   
Tenchi's life.   
  
* * *  
  
Mataeo looked around at the vast white expanse and yelled,   
"Hello?! Hellooo?!" for possibly the tenth time. There were no   
echoes here, but the walls seemed far enough away that there   
should be.   
  
Mataeo sighed and started walking again. He did not know how   
long it had been since he stepped through the tunnel of reds and   
yellows that Washuu had called a portal, but it seemed like hours.   
Mataeo had no idea where he was going or even if he was going   
anywhere. For all he knew he was walking in circles, there were   
no landmarks besides the trees and they all seemed identical. He   
had briefly considered marking one of them, but somehow the idea   
repulsed him. Somehow he felt as though carving a marker into one   
of the trees or breaking off a branch to serve as an arrow would   
be deeply wrong.  
  
"Hello?!" Mataeo called again, but again there was no   
answer.  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm scared Kiyone," Mihoshi whimpered, "Where are we?"  
  
"I don't know Mihoshi," Kiyone responded, feeling around in   
the darkness, "Washuu said the portal went to Jurai, but it's too   
dark in here to see anything. I think we're sitting on some kind   
of carpet..."  
  
"Maybe there's a way to turn the lights on?" Mihoshi asked   
and Kiyone blinked in the sudden brightness. Apparently the   
lights in this room were voice activated and did not particularly   
care about the context of the command.  
  
"Good job, Mihoshi," Kiyone said, standing and reaching down   
to help her partner to her feet. They were in what looked like a   
bedroom, definitely Jurain. The bed was made of what appeared to   
be wood-textured fibramic, as was most of the rest of the   
furniture. There were a few holo-still stands scattered across   
the desk against one wall and a painting of someone dressed in   
traditional Jurain clothing under a tree hung above it.  
  
"What do you mean Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, sounding confused,   
"What did I do?"  
  
"The lights," Kiyone explained, "You triggered them."  
  
"What lights Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, peering intently   
around, "Where are you? It's so dark..."  
  
"Mihoshi?" Kiyone asked, waving her hand in front of her   
partner's face but getting no response, "Can you see me?"  
  
"No Kiyone," Mihoshi said, fear creeping into her voice, "I   
can feel your hand, but I don't see anything..."  
  
* * *  
  
Katsuhito opened his eyes slowly, his whole body felt like it   
was on fire and the signature of someone channeling quite a bit of   
Jurai energy nearby rang in his head.  
  
As the world came back into focus Katsuhito saw Ai leaning   
over him, her eyes unfocused and distant, and Ryouko standing   
behind her with Tenchi in her arms. Katsuhito pushed himself   
carefully up on his elbows and looked around, his mind slowing to   
a halt as he realized where he was.  
  
"The Inner Chamber," Katsuhito gasped, "I never thought..."  
  
"Welcome," Ai said, the cadence of her voice very slow and   
somehow slightly off, "Many moments have been gathered since last   
you were within us, Yousho."  
  
"Mi.. Miss Fujihara?" Katsuhito stuttered. The way she   
spoke seemed very familiar, but he could not seem to remember...  
  
"She's not Ai, Katsuhito," Ryouko began to explain, "I don't   
understand it but-"  
  
"We are Jurai," Ai said in that strange, slow voice,   
interrupting Ryouko as though she did not hear her, "We use this   
Other as our hands."  
  
Katsuhito's eyes widened, he knew that rhythm of speech, "But   
she.. she is not of the House! She is not even Jurain!"  
  
"But the Other is within us. We leave her to you now, she   
has been our hands too much of the time called Now for one so   
small in time and so far from our center. Guide these Others to   
the outside of us, Yousho."  
  
"Are you okay Katsuhito?" Ryouko asked. "We have to get   
Tenchi out of here and mind help, he's hurt. Ai helped him, or   
the trees helped him, or Someone helped him anyway, but he's still   
unconscious and I think he's still bleeding internally. She said   
the trees told her you could lead us out..."  
  
"Yes," Katsuhito stood slowly, brushing himself off, "It has   
been a long time since I was in the Inner Chamber last. I had   
never thought to hear the voice of Jurai again..."  
  
Katsuhito sighed, "I did not wish to come back here, but   
Washuu has sent me back to my past and now I can not avoid it.   
Come, the way is not long if you know how to walk it."  
  
Ai stood slowly and followed them, shaking her head to clear   
it.   
  
"Where are we Mister Masaki?" Ai asked slowly, her head felt   
ready to split in half.   
  
"This is the Inner Chamber," Katsuhito explained, "It is the   
most sacred of all places in the Jurain Empire. The trees around   
us are the mind of Jurai, the children of the goddess Tsunami.   
They used you as their hands, as a conduit for their power. I do   
not understand how that could be possible, you are not Jurain."  
  
"I.." Ai shook her head again, "I don't know... They talked   
to me, they called me 'Other' and told me I had to be their hands   
to save Tenchi... What's a Jurain? Who's Tsunami? How can trees   
talk? What was that thing back in the camp? Was it really   
Tenchi's cousin?"  
  
Katsuhito sighed, "There is much to be explained. Ryouko,   
tell your friend your story. It has been a very long time since I   
walked the paths of the Inner Chamber and it takes more   
concentration that I remembered."  
  
Ryouko began haltingly, starting with how Tenchi freed her   
from the cave and going on to explain how she had fallen in love   
with him by watching him grow up, how she had seen the passion and   
courage in his tears the day he found out his mother was dying and   
lost her heart to him. As she talked about Tenchi some of the   
depression and distance she had felt slipped away. He was going   
to live, she knew, they would find her mother or a doctor or   
something and he'd wake up and she would be with him again.   
  
She explained how Washuu created her and how Kagato stole   
control of her, locking her mother away in a crystal aboard her   
own ship. Finally she explained how the rest of the girls   
gathered at Tenchi's house and how she had finally won his love,   
and about the events that had taken place since.  
  
When she was done Ai's eyes were wide and she was shaking her   
head slowly, apparently unaware of the movement.  
  
"My god Ryouko," Ai said softly, "When Mat and I decided we   
wanted to find out who you and Tenchi were... My god, I had no   
idea. Is it all true? All of it? You're some kind of.. I don't   
even know what to call it.. and you're thousands of years old?   
And Tenchi's grandfather is an alien prince and Aeka and Sasami   
are his sisters? It all sounds like some kind of fairy tale..."  
  
"It's true, Ai," Ryouko sighed, "Every word of it. You saw   
that thing in the camp, can you think of any other way to explain   
that? To explain this place? The voice you heard?"  
  
"I.. I guess not. But it all seems so.. so unbelievable."  
  
"I'm sorry Ai. We didn't want to lie to you, but you never   
could have believed the truth." Ryouko bumped her gently with her   
hip since both hands were occupied with carrying Tenchi, "Still my   
friend?"  
  
"I.. I.. Yes," Ai said, her resolve firming, "I'm not sure I   
can believe all that, but you're my friend Ryouko. And Tenchi's   
my friend and your family, whoever they are, are my friends."  
  
"We're here," Katsuhito said, the exhaustive concentration he   
had been  
expending obvious in his voice, "The doors."   
  
Ai and Ryouko looked up, realizing that sometime while they   
were talking they had reached one of the walls. The path lead up   
to a pair of huge wooden doors set into the featureless white   
wall. There were no doorknobs, no latches, no obvious way of   
opening them at all. Just a pair of large metal plates, one on   
either door, at about head height.  
  
Katsuhito walked forward and touched one, closing his eyes   
and leaning against the door for support. He mumbled something   
under his breath and the door swung slowly outward to reveal a   
long hall beyond floored in wide black tiles and lined with   
plants.  
  
"I.. I have to stay," Ai said, unsure of the words even as   
she spoke them, "Mat and Washuu are in here, I have to stay until   
they get here to let them out."  
  
"What?" Ryouko asked, turning back to her from the doors,   
"How can you know that?"  
  
"I.. I don't know," Ai shook her head, "I just know."  
  
Katsuhito nodded, saying, "Somehow she became a part of the   
tree network for a time. They told her more than how to heal   
Tenchi and myself, apparently."  
  
"You two go," Ai said, trying to sound confident, "I'll be   
okay."  
  
"Indeed you will," Katsuhito walked over and patted her   
shoulder comfortingly, "If there is any place safe in the universe   
from the being that attacked us, the Inner Chamber is it. We will   
take Tenchi to the palace hospital. When you have found Mataeo   
and Washuu, bring them to us. Tell anyone you see, 'lattani.' It   
means hospital in the language spoken here, they will understand."  
  
Ryouko looked at Katsuhito as he walked past her and out of   
the doors.  
  
"You called her Washuu," Ryouko said questioningly as the   
doors swung shut behind them, "Not Miss Washuu."  
  
"Yes," Katsuhito said distantly, "I suppose I did."  
  
"Did you-"  
  
"I do not wish to talk about it Ryouko. Your mother and I   
must have words before I will be able to speak about what happened   
today."  
  
"I-" Ryouko was interrupted again, this time by a pair of   
Jurain royal guardians charging across the hall toward them,   
staves swinging at their sides.  
  
"Malao!" the one on Ryouko's right shouted, "Gonaoi, shikae   
he nom!"  
  
Ryouko tried to remember her Jurain, it had been centuries   
since she had any use for it and almost everything from her time   
under Kagato's control was hard to remember anyway. Slowly it   
came back to her though, the guards were asking who they were and   
what they were doing so close to the Inner Chamber. *Well,*   
Ryouko thought, *Asking is the wrong word really, more like   
demanding to know before they kill us...*  
  
"Remember the vow!" Katsuhito growled suddenly in flawless   
Jurain, stepping forward to put himself between Ryouko and the   
guardians' staves, "This man is of the House Jurai and in need of   
medical attention. You will take us to the palace hospital, now!"  
  
"How do we know you speak truly?" This time it was the   
guardian on Ryouko's left who spoke, "You could be thieves or   
worse!"  
  
"By Tsunami," Katsuhito swore in Jurain, "By the first tree   
and by the House, I swear on my blood and my heritage. This man   
is of the House and will die without aid, I call the debt of the   
tri-fold leaf and demand your service. Gimana Tsunami we   
nakattana!"  
  
Ryouko did not recognize the language Katsuhito spoke those   
last words in, it sounded like Jurain but was not. The guards   
made an intricate symbol in the air before them, bowing their   
heads automatically at Tsunami's name.   
  
"By the debt of the tri-fold leaf, called in the tongue of   
the House," they spoke together, "We obey your demand."  
  
The younger of the two stepped forward and tried to take   
Tenchi from Ryouko's arms but she stepped away, shaking her head.  
  
"Please madam," the guardian said, stepping toward her again,   
"You must allow us to carry the prince."  
  
He did not actually say 'prince,' but Ryouko was not entirely   
sure what the word he used meant, something like 'the person of   
noble lineage who's designation is not currently known and whom we   
wish to avoid offending.' Jurains had thousands of words for one   
another and Ryouko had never met anyone but a Jurain who could   
keep them all straight.  
  
"No," Ryouko said, stepping away again, "I'll carry him."  
  
"Please," the guardian said, somewhat desperately, "You are   
not Jurain and should not be carrying a person of the House..."  
  
"I am his wife," Ryouko growled, suddenly realizing the truth   
of it. They had not had a ceremony, but he had asked and she   
accepted. As far as Ryouko concerned that was all that was   
important. "I'll damn well carry him if I want to!"  
  
The guardian bowed and made another complicated symbol in the   
air while saying, "Forgive me, oh wife of the man of unknown   
lineage. I did not mean offense and beg that you do not seek to   
punish my insolence."  
  
"I.. er.." Ryouko looked to Katsuhito for help but he only   
quirked an eyebrow at her. "You.. you're forgiven?"  
  
The guardian patted his chest twice and turned away, still in   
a bow, before saying, "Thank you wife of the man of unknown   
lineage. Now please, come with us."  
  
  
Katsuhito fell into step beside Ryouko as they walked between   
the rows of plants.  
  
"His wife?" Katsuhito asked quietly.  
  
"Yes," Ryouko replied defensively, "He asked me to marry him   
last night and I said yes."  
  
"Ahh." Katsuhito smoothed some of the bloody hair away from   
his grandson's eyes and said, "Congratulations Tenchi. There are   
not many women who would face a Jurain royal guardian for the   
honor of having their husband's blood smeared all over them."  
  
* * *  
  
"Awaken Washuu. Rise and wake, your family awaits you."  
  
Washuu rubbed her eyes and looked around. It was dark,   
wherever she was, and the sound of gently flowing water was in the   
air. She clambered to her feet and looked to see what she had   
been leaning against.  
  
It was a tree. A tall, thin tree with only a thin scattering   
of leaves on its branches. As Washuu watched silvery flames ran   
along the ridges of its bark and up to the leaves, diffracting   
through their crystalline green structure into the air with a   
sound like distant bells.  
  
"Tsunami." Washuu whispered, feeling it would be somehow   
wrong to speak above a whisper in this place.  
  
"Yes," The voice came as though from far away, "What little   
of me remains within this tree is here."  
  
"You.. you're not here?" Washuu asked slowly. She was not   
sure how she had gotten here, to the very heart of the Inner   
Chamber where Tsunami's tree stood, nor was she sure where the   
rest of them had gotten to or what Tsunami was talking about. She   
remembered being in the campground, and the portal, but it all   
seemed so far away. Something about the goddess' presence made it   
hard to think clearly.  
  
"I am a goddess Washuu," Tsunami's voice said gently and with   
a touch of amusement, "I am everywhere. But the center of my   
being, what was locked within the wood of this tree for many   
millennia, is not here any longer, no."  
  
"Sasami..."  
  
"Yes, Sasami," Tsunami confirmed Washuu's guess, "With her Change   
I can escape my prison for a while. I must still return here, to   
my wooden jail, from time to time. Sasami is not ready for me   
yet, but she will be soon."  
  
"Soon?" Washuu asked, trying to put everything together.   
The portal, the mouth at the Jurai end must not have stabilized   
all the way, she realized, it must have been drawn toward the   
strongest power source, distributing them along its curve. Most   
of them would probably have wound up in the Inner Chamber, then.   
But why had Tsunami spared the attention to awaken her? And why   
was she being so friendly now? Washuu knew that the goddess   
looked on them fondly as Sasami's extended family, but she had not   
expected to deal with a being older than creation on such an   
intimate basis. Washuu was tens of millennia old herself, but it   
was barely a drop in the bucket to Tsunami's age and she was   
overawed by the goddess' presence, even lessened as it was.  
  
"Yes," Tsunami's voice was soft, but full of something like   
hope, "Soon it will be my time and I will walk the worlds again."  
  
"That thing," Washuu asked, thinking to take advantage of a   
rare opportunity, "In the camp, is it truly Tokimi's servant? Is   
she trying to kill Tenchi? Kill us?"  
  
"The laws," Tsunami said reverently, "I must abide by the   
laws. I can not answer your questions, Washuu. To intervene in   
the affairs of my sisters, to know my sisters' thoughts, to undo   
what my sisters have wrought... I am eternal, but these things I   
may not do."  
  
"Sisters?" Washuu asked, "There are more than two of you?"  
  
"Once," Tsunami sighed, her voice growing more distant, "Once   
there were three..."  
  
"Wait!" Washuu called, "I have more questions! And how do I   
get out of here?!"  
  
But Tsunami was gone. The tree remained and the silvery   
fires traced up and down its bark in the pulse of the ages, but   
Tsunami's attention was elsewhere.  
  
* * *  
  
Aeka sat down heavily on her bed. She had found herself in   
one of the palace's many corridors after stepping through the   
portal and made her way, almost unthinkingly, to her bedroom.   
  
*I'm back on Jurai,* Aeka thought sadly, *I had not intended   
to come back here ever again, but because of Shiko I am back. And   
now I know what my father did, what he is. How can I talk to him,   
remembering that he hit me? I will never be able to think of him   
again without remembering.. remembering what that thing did to   
me...*  
  
Aeka lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to   
see a way through her problems. She did not know where the others   
had gone when they entered the portal, but since she had been near   
the end of the parade through the red disk she assumed they all   
arrived safely somewhere in the palace. She would issue an order   
with the guardians to find them soon, but for the moment she only   
lay there. When she gave the order her parents would know she was   
back and she would have to face them, face Azusa.   
  
Aeka sighed and wondered why all this had happened to her,   
what she had done to deserve all this pain.  
  
* * *  
  
"I'm telling you we're officers of Galaxy Police! Just call   
HQ on Dalris and ask for our ID!"  
  
Kiyone struggled again but still could not break the iron   
grip of the guardian holding her arms behind her back. They had   
been caught almost immediately after leaving the bedroom, hoping   
to find the others and figure out why Mihoshi had suddenly gone   
blind. The two guardians, they always seemed to travel in pairs,   
would only say that they were going to be held under supervision   
until their identities could be confirmed.  
  
"I don't think it's gonna work Kiyone," Mihoshi said sadly,   
"They don't wanna listen."  
  
"Yeah," Kiyone agreed, giving up on her struggles and letting   
the silent guardian guide her through the winding corridors of the   
royal palace, "But these guys are going to be sorry when Aeka   
finds out-"  
  
Kiyone's chaperone cuffed her on the back of the head to   
silence her and said, "You have been warned not to speak the crown   
princess' name. Hold your tongue or it will be removed."  
  
* * *  
  
"Ai!" Mataeo yelled when he saw her in the distance, "Hey   
Ai!"  
  
Ai did not respond until he was nearly there, she was leaning   
against the doors with her eyes closed and Mataeo thought she must   
have gone to sleep. When she did raise her head and look at him   
her eyes were far away, as though she did not even see him   
standing there.  
  
"They're so old," Ai whispered, sounding as though she were   
talking mainly to herself.  
  
"Who?" Mataeo asked, looking around, "Who's old, Ai? And   
where is everybody? And what the heck Is this place? I've been   
wandering around in here for hours..."  
  
Ai shook her head and looked at him, her eyes gradually   
coming back into focus. "Oh, hi Mat. Come sit down, we have to   
wait for Washuu."  
  
Mataeo sat slowly, looking at his girlfriend with an   
expression of concern.  
  
"Are you okay Ai? You sound kind of odd..."  
  
"I'm fine Mat," Ai sighed, "I've just been talking to.. to   
someone. This place is so strange..."  
  
"What are you talking about Ai? First there's all that stuff   
back at the campground, then I end up here and now you're going   
all weird on me too."  
  
"I'm sorry," Ai smiled and took his hand, "I was confused   
too, but Ryouko explained about the campground and they've been   
telling me so much about Jurai that I didn't realize how confused   
you would still be."  
  
"Ryouko?" Mataeo asked, looking around and wondering if he   
had somehow overlooked her, "Where is she? Where'd everybody go?"  
  
"Ryouko, Tenchi, and Yousho.. I mean Tenchi's grandfather,   
went to find the palace hospital. Washuu's still here in the   
Inner Chamber somewhere, and I guess the others are somewhere in   
the palace, they can't see that far."  
  
"Who can't see that far? What palace?"  
  
Ai sighed, "I'm sorry Mat. Let me start at the beginning."   
  
Mat nodded and Ai took a deep breath, searching for a place   
to start in the strange, amazing story she had heard both from   
Ryouko and from the trees. Finally she said, "It all started a   
few thousand years ago when Washuu created Ryouko in her lab..."  
  
  
When Ai was done Mataeo was left even more doubtful than she   
had been. Space ships made out of trees? Washuu twenty thousand   
years old or more? But it did explain a lot of things about his   
friends, and considering the place he had just spent hours   
wandering aimlessly through and the things he had seen in the   
campground today Mataeo supposed he could accept it all, at least   
until he heard a better explanation.   
  
"So what else did these trees tell you?" Mataeo asked.  
  
Ai sighed and closed her eyes, leaning back against the door.   
  
"They told me so many things... It's hard to sort them all   
out in my head, but I think I can speak Jurain now. They told me   
about how the empire has been around for hundreds of thousands of   
years, maybe even millions. This isn't even their real homeworld,   
the seat of the empire has moved at least three times. Their   
culture has collapsed into pre-industrial levels at least four   
times, but not since Tsunami gave them the trees. They have four   
languages, but most people only know one. Members of the royal   
families know the House tongue, some scholars know a little of the   
old tongue but everyone knows the traditional chants in it, and   
they can only speak the language they call 'the voices of past   
times' when they talk to the trees. There are so many rituals and   
ceremonies and traditions it's staggering. Most of them nobody   
even remembers the reason for, they're just things that get taught   
in their 'etiquette lessons' and everybody knows. They have this   
whole army of guardians who swear by a vow that they don't even   
know, it was taken by the first guardians and now they swear to   
follow the spirits of their ancestors without knowing why they did   
what they   
did..."  
  
Ai shook her head, trying to see through the vast amount of   
knowledge the trees had imparted to her, knowing she would forget   
almost all of it.  
  
"There's no parallel for their society anywhere in Earth's   
history. Even the roman empire at its height had nowhere near the   
cultural complexity of Jurai, and didn't last as long as the   
current Jurain emperor has been alive..."  
  
"Wow," Mataeo sighed and leaned back to rest his head next   
to Ai's, "When I told Tenchi I wanted to know his story I didn't   
think it would go back thousands of years. At worst I thought he   
would turn out to be yakuza or something, but an alien prince?   
God, it's like I woke up today in an anime."  
  
Ai chuckled and squeezed his hand, "Yeah, but if this were an   
anime the trees would have tentacles or something and I'd be   
wearing a sailor fuku."  
  
"I dunno," Mataeo said thoughtfully, "You'd be kind of cute   
in one... Ow! Okay, okay, I was kidding!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Miss Washuu?"  
  
Washuu did not look up from the gently gurgling stream by   
which she sat. She, and the stream, were in one of the palace's   
many courtyards, this one large enough to have been called a park   
on Earth. After finding Mataeo and Ai she had gone with them to   
the royal hospital and seen Ryouko and Tenchi, though Tenchi was   
still unconscious and Ryouko refused to leave his bedside until he   
woke up.  
  
Now Mataeo and Ai were off somewhere with Nobuyuki, Ai wanted   
to see the Gathering Stone at the palace's western gate and that   
was far enough away that it would be hours before they were back.   
  
"So we're back to that then?" Washuu asked, still not   
looking up as Katsuhito walked nearer.  
  
"You know how desperately I wished never to return here, Miss   
Washuu."  
  
"Yes." There was nothing else to say, she knew he would   
rather have died than come back to Jurai again. Washuu did not   
understand why Katsuhito was so adamant to stay away from the   
world which was once his home, but she knew the depth of his   
dedication to his new life.  
  
"But you sent me back anyway."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Katsuhito came and sat down at the other end of the long   
stone bench on which Washuu sat, watching the stream flowing   
around rocks and tree roots. It was an art form on Jurai, the   
stream. Jurain gardeners were renowned throughout the galaxy for   
their work with stone, wood, and water. They arranged the rocks   
and guided the growth of the roots to cause the water flowing   
around and over them to make specific melodies, and the quality of   
the work was judged by the clarity and suppleness of the music.  
  
"Why," Katsuhito asked quietly from his end of the bench,   
"Why did you send me back? Why did you not let me remain on   
Earth? Earth is my home, has been my home for seven hundred   
years."  
  
"I couldn't let you die Katsuhito," Washuu sighed, "Even if   
you're an old fool and even if saving you meant you would hate me,   
I couldn't let you die for no reason."  
  
"You know that Tenchi asked Ryouko to marry him?" Katsuhito   
asked, catching Washuu off guard with the sudden shift in   
conversation. No one else could do that, she reflected, Katsuhito   
was the only person she had met in ten thousand years who could   
surprise her.  
  
"Yes, she told me when we went to the hospital to see them."  
  
"By Jurain custom that makes you my sister."  
  
Washuu chuckled but her heart was not in it, "I'm sorry   
Katsuhito. It must pain you to have another sister who's heart   
you must break."  
  
"Must I?"  
  
Washuu looked up then, for the voice speaking those last   
words was not Katsuhito's. The man at the other end of the bench   
was young, a Jurain noble from his features. But there, buried in   
the lines of his face, was the familiar look of the old man she   
had fallen in love with.  
  
"Katsuhito?" Washuu asked, staring at the apparition.  
  
"You've made me return to my past Washuu, a past I had never   
intended to visit again. I do not know what that will mean for   
me, but I do not wish to break another sister's heart. When I   
began my new life on Earth I left Jurai behind, tried to forget   
the pain that haunted me across the stars. But to be with you..   
that would be a life as different from my life on Earth as Earth   
was different from Jurai. Perhaps it is right that I am here once   
more, perhaps it is the demons of my past which would not allow me   
to grow close to you and only vanquishing them will give me that   
freedom."  
  
Katsuhito.. no, Washuu realized, Yousho, shook his head   
sadly.  
  
"I do not know if I am ready to love you Washuu. I wish I   
could give you that, but it has been a long time since I loved   
another and like Tenchi I fear I have locked away my heart to save   
myself pain. But I will try, if you will allow me. It is not   
many women who would nearly kill the man they love to save his   
life."  
  
When Washuu took his hand he was an old man once more and   
they sat together, as old people do, in the park, remembering the   
past and wondering at what the future may hold. And around them   
the water sang.  
  
* * *  
  
Aeka stopped when she heard Funaho's voice around the corner.   
She had been on the way to speak with her about her father but had   
chosen not to let the guardians announce her. She was very   
uncomfortable about the subject she meant to discuss and, in fact,   
that was why she was going to Funaho. Misaki was her birth   
mother, at least as much as anyone had a birth mother on Jurai.   
The Earth method of childbearing had probably been practiced on   
Jurai at some point, Aeka thought, they had all the.. equipment..   
for it anyway. But for as long as anyone currently alive could   
remember parents had had the fetus removed after the first   
trimester of pregnancy and allowed to develop in an artificial   
womb. It was much better for the developing baby and much, much   
more convenient for the mother.   
  
In any case, Misaki was the woman with whom Aeka shared her   
genetic structure, but somehow she could not imagine talking about   
her father's actions with her mother. Funaho had always been much   
more sedate than Misaki and somehow Aeka found the idea of going   
to her more comfortable, though still horribly embarrassing and   
very painful.   
  
But it appeared someone was already there. Aeka stood near   
the corner and listened, wonder what in the world she could be   
thinking, eavesdropping on her mother, but doing it irregardless.  
  
"I am sorry I have not come to you before this Mother," said   
a male voice. Aeka stifled a gasp when she recognized it as her   
brother's, but without the deepening and slowing it had undergone   
in the centuries he spent on earth. This voice sounded exactly   
like the one she remembered Yousho speaking with before he left   
Jurai all those years ago.  
  
"I should have come immediately after Tenchi was safely in   
the hospital," the voice from Aeka's past continued, "But the   
thought of facing you here, on Jurai, was more than I could bear.   
I had never intended to see these halls again."  
  
"It is understandable, Yousho," Funaho said, confirming   
Aeka's suspicions, "I saw how desperately you wished to avoid your   
old life during my visits to Earth. You never once came out to   
greet your father or Misaki. But I still do not understand Why   
you so wish to avoid Jurai."  
  
Yousho sighed and Aeka restrained herself, she wanted to rush   
around the corner, to see if her brother had somehow come back   
from the forgotten past as he had in her dream, but she also   
wanted to hear his answer to Funaho's question. She had wondered   
often why her brother seemed so disinterested in returning to his   
home, especially since it would be a trivial matter to have all   
the years that his time on Earth seemed to have put on him removed   
once more.  
  
"I chased Ryouko for ten years, Mother," Yousho said slowly,   
putting together the story he had never expected to have to tell,   
"And in my time away from Jurai I learned much about myself that I   
had not known. When I finally caught up to her in orbit around   
the Earth I was no longer sure why I was chasing her. I had   
ascertained that she was not truly the criminal she appeared, that   
her actions were mostly, if not entirely, at the orders of some   
other being. But I had chased so long I did not know what else to   
do. I could not just turn her loose, she was still under   
someone's control and would only do more damage. But I could not   
destroy her, she was an innocent being, used as someone's tool of   
destruction.  
  
"My first night in orbit around Earth I slept beneath the   
branches of my tree and Tsunami came to me in my dreams. She   
explained to me how to take Ryouko's powers without destroying   
her, how to seal her away in the hopes that the creature   
controlling her would eventually lose interest or die, and how to   
use Funaho's power to keep Ryouko alive without her gems in that   
time.   
  
"But the knowledge came at a cost. Tsunami demanded that I   
stay there, on Earth, and act as Ryouko's guardian until such time   
as she could be released once more. I was to give up my life on   
Jurai and assume the life of a simple Earthling for as long as was   
required. It was not an order though, she offered me the choice   
of doing as she asked or returning to Jurai and leaving Ryouko for   
another to deal with.  
  
"I examined my feelings and found that acting as Ryouko's   
caretaker appealed to me. So I accepted and chased Ryouko to the   
surface, crashing into the place Tsunami indicated and using the   
cave there as a holding cell for Ryouko once I had taken her gems.   
  
"And there I remained for seven centuries until Tsunami came   
to me again. She gave me a vision of a glowing samurai, the   
warrior I created in the legends I wrote about my arrival on the   
Earth. But in the vision the samurai was not fighting the demon   
goddess, he was standing by her side and the darkness fled before   
them. Tsunami did not reveal herself, she only sent me the vision   
and gave me a vision of my daughter, Achika, giving birth.  
  
"So I took little Tenchi, named after the title I had given   
the master key in my legends, to the cave when he was a baby. I   
played with him there and in time he gained an affinity for the   
place. As he grew older I spun stories about the demon who lived   
within and warned him of the terrible danger of ever entering,   
knowing it would only enflame his curiosity.   
  
"And the rest you know," Yousho finished with a sigh.  
  
*He knew,* Aeka thought in wonder, *All along he knew who   
Tenchi would choose, he was pushing him toward it all his life...*  
  
"Yes," Funaho said after a few moments of silence, "But you   
have still not told me why you avoided returning to Jurai. Why   
did you choose to remain on Earth? Why, after Ryouko was released   
from the cave, did you never try to contact us? And when we   
arrived in search of Aeka, why did you continue to wear that   
disguise and refuse to see your father?"  
  
*Disguise?*  
  
Yousho sighed again and said, "That is an even more difficult   
story for me to tell, and starts before the other."  
  
"Do you want me to not ask then?" Funaho asked gently, "If   
it is too painful for you now I will wait, I have waited these   
seven hundred years to know why my son left me, I can wait a few   
more."  
  
"No," Yousho said with quiet resignation, "No, it must be   
told eventually and since Washuu has forced me to return to my   
past I suppose I may as well tell it now."  
  
Yousho paused and Aeka thought he may have changed his mind,   
but then he went on quietly, "It began, though I did not know it   
was beginning, over nine hundred years ago. When Tsunami offered   
me the choice of the knowledge to save Ryouko and stay in exile on   
Earth or to return to Jurai it was the events of two centuries   
before which made my decision clear. For during the decade in   
which I chased the demon my own demons caught me.  
  
"Even before Tsunami made me her offer I was considering   
never returning home. I loved Aeka dearly and before leaving to   
seek revenge I had every intention of marrying her, but in my   
absence I began to wonder if even love was worth returning to   
Jurai for.  
  
"It was Azusa, you see," Yousho said, slipping apparently   
without realizing into the House tongue, "You know about the   
beatings, mother. I know you know because I could hear you crying   
in the next room sometimes when he gave them to me. You know,   
too, the reason for them. You know that they are demanded by the   
lessons of the second Change. I knew that too, but for me it was   
not enough. All my life I wondered how we could demand such   
things of ourselves, how a society based so strongly on love and   
companionship as that of Jurai could encourage that parents beat   
their children into submission."  
  
Yousho sighed heavily before continuing, "It was not until my   
hundredth year that I learned we did not. I had never discussed   
the matter with anyone, my shame was too great. That I would have   
acted so inappropriately as to deserve my father's cane shamed me   
to the core and I wished only to avoid his wrath in the future.   
But one day I stumbled upon an ancient index of the lessons of the   
second Change, and I discovered the truth. That lesson, the   
lesson of pain, is not given to Jurains. Not to Jurain citizens,   
not even to Jurains of the noble Houses. It is reserved only for   
the most high, for the House Jurai itself.  
  
"But you know that as well, don't you mother? You know that   
Azusa is the only man in the Jurain empire who has the freedom to   
whip his children for insubordinance, the only person in the   
entirety of the thousand suns who may freely strike another   
without fear of repercussion. And he used that power. I do not   
mean to say that he enjoyed it, even after all the things that   
happened I do not think he ever enjoyed it. But I think that he   
observed the ritual too often. I think that he allowed it to   
twist his mind until he believed that the lesson of pain was the   
Only lesson of value, that the cane was the best method for   
teaching his children and the darkened room the only instructor of   
worth.  
  
"But even that would not have been enough to keep me away. I   
loved Jurai, I loved the world and the empire and the trees and I   
loved my family. And it was that love that finally pushed me   
away."  
  
Yousho paused again and Aeka wondered if that was the whole   
of the story. That the beatings her father had given her were   
enforced by the lessons of the second Change, lessons she would   
not learn for years still, was almost too much to consider.   
Instead she pushed it to the side, saving it to look at later when   
she could be alone and carefully examine her feelings about that.   
Now she wanted to know why her brother had left her, why he had   
never returned and how love could have kept him away. She was   
tempted to go into the room and ask, and was considering doing it   
when Yousho spoke again.  
  
"He killed him, didn't he?" Yousho asked, again in the House   
tongue and his voice very small and distant, nothing at all like   
the proud tones of the Katsuhito she had grown to love nearly as   
much as she had her brother. "He beat Namaeto to death for his   
lies, didn't he mother? There was no accident, was there-"  
  
Aeka gasped at the sound of Funaho striking Yousho. She knew   
it had happened that way around when Yousho's words stopped   
suddenly, and from her mother's quiet sob of grief.  
  
"I.. I.. I am sorry, Yousho," Funaho said slowly, "I did   
not.. I did not mean to do that. It has been eight hundred years   
since anyone said that name in my presence."  
  
When Yousho spoke again it was once more in Jurain and with   
the strength of his years, "I am sorry, mother. But it is true,   
isn't it? Father beat my brother to death, didn't he?"  
  
*Brother?* Aeka wondered in a swirl of sudden confusion,   
*Namaeto? But I never had another brother...*  
  
"Yes," Funaho said in quiet grief, her voice wracked with   
pain long buried, "Yes, he did. Na... Your brother lied once too   
often. Azusa had tried to teach him with the lesson of pain   
before, but Na.. he would not learn. His boastful lies continued   
and your father's anger grew each time he heard another rumor   
started by his son. Finally when he.. when he heard a rumor that   
your brother had.. had.. been with Misaki, Azusa flew into an   
uncontrollable rage. He.. he beat him to death, and he left the   
corpse in that room for two days before he allowed it to be   
removed. We.. we told the lie that there had been an accident in   
his training and a quiet pronouncement was made that his name be   
stricken from the records of the House."  
  
"Then you understand why I left?" Yousho asked gently.  
  
"No," Funaho replied eventually, "No, I do not. It is   
horrible, what happened, but you were not your brother. Na...   
He.. he deserved what came to him, it is the way of Jurai that the   
emperor enforce the strictest discipline on his own children.   
That your brother could not learn that lesson sealed his fate.   
But you were a good son to Azusa, you took the lesson of pain so   
inoften, and never for the same reasons. I can understand your   
grief, but why did you leave us?"  
  
Yousho sighed, "If I must explain it you will not understand.   
That it is the way of Jurai does not make it Right. My father   
beat his son to death for a lie that was spawned out of rage by a   
son for his father for the regular and vicious beatings he was   
given. Were it not for that tradition, if father taught his   
children with words like other men of the empire, it would never   
have happened. When I was here I thought as you do, that it was   
inevitable and that as the way of Jurai it was just. But in the   
decade I spent alone, wandering the stars in search of Ryouko, I   
realized that it was Not right. Just because a thing is done for   
years, even thousands of years, does not make it correct. Jurai   
is a civilization of men and women who live by rules they do not   
even understand. And my brother, Namaeto, who's name you can not   
even speak, died   
for those rules. Namaeto was a liar, on Earth they call them   
compulsive liars, he lied without thinking. But I loved him. He   
was my older brother and I looked up to him. I knew he lied, but   
he was strong and he was handsome and he knew more than I did.   
When I realized that my father had killed him I knew I could not   
return, because I was afraid of what I would do to Azusa if I   
did."  
  
* * *  
  
When Tenchi's eyes opened Ryouko was there. After carrying   
him to the hospital she had left his side only long enough to   
change her clothes while the doctors examined him and repaired the   
damage to his body. Since then she had sat by his bedside,   
holding his hand and waiting for him to wake up.  
  
"Ry..." Tenchi's lips moved to form her name, but he did not   
have the strength to say the whole word.  
  
"Good morning Tenchi," Ryouko said with a smile, kissing him   
gently on  
the forehead.  
  
"Ho..."  
  
"Two days," Ryouko responded to his only partially voiced   
question.  
  
//Is it dead?//  
  
"No," Ryouko said sadly, "I.. Somehow I summoned the wings   
after it hurt you, but even that wasn't enough. It was rebuilding   
itself when we came through mother's portal."  
  
//You summoned the wings? How?//  
  
"I.. I don't know, Tenchi. Mom doesn't know either, and   
Sasami says Tsunami hasn't talked to her since the I did it. I   
can't even remember doing it. I just remember how much you hurt   
when that thing hit you and I remember wanting it dead, destroyed,   
gone... Then the next thing I remember was carrying you through   
the portal."  
  
Tenchi shook his head weakly and sent, //I don't know how,   
but it makes sense now...//  
  
"What?" Ryouko's brow furrowed and she wondered if he were   
still sick, he had woken up a few times before and mumbled   
incoherently both aloud and over their link, "Are you okay Tenchi?   
Do you need some water? Or should I get a doctor?"  
  
//No, no, I'm fine. I.. I had a dream. It was about a man,   
and a tree. And I understand now.//  
  
"What?" Ryouko asked again, beginning to worry he really was   
still out of it, "A man and a tree?"  
  
//Yes, and they flew... I understand now, Ryouko. I know   
what I was doing wrong. The power.. it's not meant to be used,   
not by humans...//  
  
"Then what good is it? If you can't use the wings to defend   
yourself and your family, why did Tsunami give them to you?"  
  
//I can, though, Ryouko. But I've been doing it all wrong...   
The power isn't meant to be used by humans, we are their hands.   
We are, they do. It is meant to be given.//  
  
"I.. I'm going to go get one of the doctors, Tenchi. You   
just lie still, okay?"  
  
"No," Tenchi said, some strength coming into his voice,   
"Just.. give me some water, okay honey?"  
  
Ryouko nodded and handed him a glass, watching worriedly as   
he drained it.  
  
"The dream," Tenchi began afterward, "It was about a man who   
loved a tree. And they flew together, singing. It was..   
beautiful. And now I understand."  
  
Ryouko shook her head, this was sounding worse and worse but   
she could see that telling him he was delirious was not going to   
help.  
  
"What do you understand Tenchi?"  
  
"I understand how to call them now," he said with a wide   
smile, "How to call them and not feel the pain. But I need   
someone's help. I thought I would have to find a tree, but if you   
can call them too it all makes sense..."  
  
Tenchi pulled his hand out from beneath the blankets of his   
bed in the little, faux-wood paneled room of the royal hospital   
and reached out to Ryouko. She could feel him touching the Jurai   
power and her concern turned to fear.  
  
"No, Tenchi. Don't. You're too weak."  
  
"Hold my hand, Ryouko. Take my hand and be with me."  
  
"I.." Ryouko did not know what to do. Talking was not   
stopping him and if she went to get a doctor he might kill himself   
with the power in the meantime. So she took his hand, hoping she   
could at least exert some control over his draw of the power, not   
that she ever had been able to before.  
  
"Open yourself, Ryouko. Let yourself see the beauty of the   
stars..."  
  
"Tenchi?" Ryouko asked as he closed his eyes, his grip   
tightening on her hand and the power flowing through him   
increasing swiftly, "What are you doing Tenchi? What stars?"  
  
"Close your eyes," Tenchi whispered, "Close your eyes my   
love and fly with me."  
  
And then the pain came. It came in torrents, in waves, in   
the fury of a tornado sweeping down on them from a clear sky.   
Ryouko's back arched and she worried briefly that the spasms in   
her hand would break Tenchi's fingers, but then the pain was too   
much and she couldn't worry about anything anymore.  
  
It was a universe of pain. It was pain unending, without   
beginning or ending or any fluctuation to give it texture.   
Ryouko's entire body hurt, her mind hurt, her soul hurt. And, she   
realized ever so distantly, with the tiny part of her mind that   
still functioned through the pain, it was not even hers. She was   
feeling Tenchi's pain, feeling only a fraction of what he felt   
when he summoned the full power of the wings.  
  
//Open yourself,// Tenchi's thoughts came to her through the   
pain, a voice tiny against the raging chorus of agony, //Spread   
your wings, Ryouko...//  
  
Ryouko gasped, trying to find air to fill her lungs within   
the inferno of pain. In desperation she reached out to the gems,   
opening the stops on their power as she dimly remembered having   
done in the campground.   
  
But the pain only intensified. Ryouko would not have   
believed it  
possible, if she could believe anything. What was before an   
unending world of agony became absolute. There was no Ryouko,   
there was no Tenchi, there was no Jurai, no world, no universe,   
just the pain. With her last conscious effort Ryouko reached out   
through the pain that was more than blinding, was so horribly   
intense that she had forgotten she ever even had eyes with which   
to see, reached out to Tenchi and wrapped her mind around his.   
She clung to him mentally and entwined her essence with his,   
hoping that if she was to be in eternal torment to at least be   
with her love through it.  
  
And then it was gone.   
  
Ryouko tried to open her eyes, but found that she had no   
eyelids to open or eyes to expose beneath them. She had no body,   
no existence, she was a mind floating in a vast sea of silvery   
light.   
  
//Tenchi?//  
  
//I'm here.//  
  
And he was. She could feel her arms around him, feel his   
arms around her, feel her body pressed against his, but could not   
see him. She realized she could not even feel her own body except   
where it touched his, that her entire existence was defined only   
by the points of intersection with the existence of Tenchi.  
  
//Where.. where are we?//  
  
//Everywhere? Nowhere? That place we go when you teleport   
us? The place we go when we die? I don't know, Ryouko.//  
  
//I..// Ryouko started to tell him she was scared, but   
realized it was not true. She was confused, but she felt no fear.   
Only a blessed peace, so utterly in contrast to the pain that she   
could barely believe that that agony had existed.  
  
//I love you Tenchi.// It was the only true thing Ryouko   
could think of to say. All the rest of the universe, all the   
things she had seen in her thousands of years of life, all the   
things she had said and done and the people she had known, they   
all seemed like distant dreams lost within the silver light. Pale   
before the fires of the pain.  
  
//I love you Ryouko.// And she felt the truth of it. She   
had known he loved her before, had heard him say it and believed   
it, but she felt it now. She felt his love for her as clearly as   
she felt his arms around her, and that was as real as anything in   
her universe now.  
  
//What do we do now?//  
  
//We've spread our wings, Ryouko. Now.. now, we fly.//  
  
* * *  
  
"Sasami?" Aeka tapped gently at her sister's bedroom door   
and hoped she would be alone.  
  
"Come in Aeka," Sasami called to her through the door, "It's   
open!"  
  
Aeka opened the door and stepped through slowly, her mind   
thick with the things she had heard.   
  
"Hi Aeka," Sasami said happily, "I looked all over for you   
but nobody knew where you were."  
  
"I'm sorry," Aeka apologized, "I.. I needed some time alone   
to think."  
  
Sasami nodded sadly, patting the bed in indication for Aeka   
to come sit next to her.  
  
"It's about what he did," Sasami asked after her sister had   
taken a seat and settled herself, "Isn't it?"  
  
Aeka looked sharply at Sasami and asked, "What who did?"  
  
Sasami shrugged, "Daddy, Shiko, Tokimi's servant.. it's all   
the same thing to worry about, isn't it?"  
  
"How.. how do you know about that Sasami?"  
  
"Tsunami showed me. She had to, 'cause we had to show you so   
you could remember in time. I didn't want to, but there wasn't   
any other way."  
  
Aeka's mind reeled. That she had experienced those things   
was awful enough, but that Sasami, poor, sweet, innocent Sasami   
had to know them as well...  
  
"I want to talk to her," Aeka said firmly, "I want to talk to   
Tsunami, Sasami. Can I talk to her?"  
  
"You already are," Tsunami said, and Aeka realized it was   
true. She had been speaking to her sister, but Tsunami had been   
there as well, somewhere. Now she was speaking to Tsunami and her   
sister was there in some strange manner.  
  
"I do not like the things you are doing to my sister," Aeka   
said determinedly, pushing away her awe and the thousands of   
traditions and ceremonies beating at her mind to be performed in   
the presence of a goddess. "She is a young girl and does not   
deserve to see.. those things."  
  
"And you deserved to live it, Aeka?" Tsunami asked, tilting   
an eyebrow.  
  
"I.." Aeka found she had no answer. She did not believe she   
deserved the things that Tokimi's servant had done to her, but she   
was less clear about her father. She had been improper and he had   
done what was demanded by tradition.. it was the way of Jurai, she   
simply had not understood...  
  
"No," Aeka said finally, "No, I did not. The way is wrong, I   
did not deserve what he did to me."  
  
"Good," Tsunami said, patting Aeka's hand comfortingly, "You   
begin to nderstand."  
  
"But," Aeka protested, "You Are Jurai. How can you disagree   
with the lessons of the Changes?"  
  
"I am not Jurai, Aeka," Tsunami said gently, "I am no more   
Jurai than you are Jurai, or than Sasami is Jurai, or little Ryou-  
ohki. I am Tsunami, I am eternal and all things, but Jurai is   
Jurai."  
  
"But the trees..."  
  
"The trees were here Aeka, the trees have always been here.   
When I was locked away in my prison all those millennia ago it was   
in the body of a tree. My presence gave them courage and a voice,   
no more."  
  
"Prison?" Aeka asked, feeling herself slipping further and   
further into confusion. She had meant to come here and talk to   
Sasami about taking the throne in her place, then shifted to an   
intent to talk to Tsunami about the things she was doing to   
Sasami, but now she was lost in a mire of confused thoughts and   
more confused emotions.  
  
"Yes, Aeka," Tsunami sighed, "That tree was no more by body   
than Sasami is. It was the locus of my attention, and for a very   
long time constrained my actions. Sasami's sacrifice gave me my   
freedom and I am a goddess once more."  
  
"But how.. how could you be locked in a prison if you're a   
goddess? Couldn't you just.." Aeka wiggled her hands, unsure what   
goddess did.  
  
"No, I couldn't just," Tsunami smiled and repeated the   
wiggling hand gesture, "But I cannot explain how I came to be   
locked away Aeka, it is an affair of my sisters and I and cannot   
be discussed with another. Even you."  
  
Aeka sighed, "Oh Tsunami, what am I to do? I came here to   
talk to Sasami, to convince her to take my place as first princess   
so that I, like my brother, could put myself in exile on Earth.   
But it's all so confusing, I love my mothers and, despite   
everything, I love father. And I love this world and my people   
and I love the trees... What am I to do?"  
  
"You must find that answer inside yourself Aeka," Tsunami   
said, taking one of Aeka's hands in hers, "Even a goddess can not   
give you all of the answers you seek. If I told you what your   
next actions will be you would seek to take others in the hopes of   
a better outcome. If I lie and tell you what will make you take   
the actions you would have taken anyway, you will wonder what   
would have happened had you done what I said you would do."  
  
"So instead you tell me nothing and I do what I would have   
done anyway, but while wondering if it is what you intended?"  
  
Tsunami smiled.  
  
"Do you know my thoughts, Tsunami?"  
  
"If I wish," Tsunami said quietly, "I may know them. That is   
within my power, now."  
  
"Is it true? Is that awful thing true?"  
  
Tsunami was silent for long moments before answering, "A   
thing need not have happened to be true, Aeka."  
  
"Then.. then you know where I need to go."  
  
"I know where you wish to go, and I know where you will go."  
  
"Then will you take me there?"  
  
"We are already there, Aeka."  
  
And it was true.  
  
* * *  
  
Tenchi took the final step across the bridge onto the wide,   
round platform and did not look back as the bridge faded out of   
existence. Ryouko was waiting outside, but he could feel her   
there, as far away as the other side of his mind.  
  
"Slave!" Tenchi shouted into the vast emptiness surrounding   
him, "I've come!"  
  
Tenchi was not sure where the light came from, but like so   
many things in this place the light simply had to be accepted as   
existing. It lighted his path as he walked and it lighted the   
wide, round platform atop which he stood. It spread slightly out   
from the platform as well, illuminating the still waters   
surrounding it without giving any hint as to their depth or what   
might lay beneath their surface.  
  
It was out of the shadows cast by that light that he came.   
The darkness flowed and melted and became night given form.  
  
"Slave?" It growled in that awful, inhuman voice, "You call   
Me slave Masaki?"  
  
"You have a new face," Tenchi commented coolly.  
  
"Yes," the man now standing before Tenchi, on the opposite   
side of the  
dais, replied, "Do you like it Masaki? Do you remember its   
lines?"  
  
Tenchi looked at Tokimi's servant and tried to imagine what   
it could be talking about. The body it now wore was male with   
long brown hair flowing down over its shoulders and tied at the   
back. Its face was, he supposed, handsome, with a strong chin and   
firm eyes. But he had never seen it before.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about. I won't let your   
lies confuse me anymore, your goal was no more to destroy my   
humanity than it was to spy on Washuu."  
  
"Oh, but you're the one lying now Masaki. Or do you truly   
not remember me?"  
  
Tenchi shook his head, "I did not come here to talk. You've   
hurt my family for the last time."  
  
"So you think you can beat me now Masaki? You're weak,   
Masaki. You've always been weak."  
  
Tenchi shook his head, trying to dispel the miasma of   
confusion that the thing's words seemed to summon.  
  
//Ready, Ryouko? Let's get this over with, once and for   
all.//  
  
//Ready when you are love.//  
  
Tenchi released his grip on the power of Jurai and let it   
flood into him, and at the same time opened his link with Ryouko,   
giving it all to her. He did not bother trying to tense for the   
pain, he knew from experience that there was no way to prepare   
himself for that. But this time it wasn't there at all, he felt   
the torrents of power flowing through him and into Ryouko, but   
there was no pain.  
  
Tenchi felt Ryouko's arms around him, felt her cheek resting   
on his shoulder and her breath against his neck though she   
remained far away. And with her presence came the power. It   
flooded back out of Ryouko and into him in a wave of nearly   
overwhelming warmth. Tenchi raised his hand and let the power   
flow through it, coalescing in the form of the wings.  
  
//Kill him Tenchi,// Ryouko sent amidst the stream of energy,   
//Rip the bastard's heart out and show it to him.//  
  
Just as the power reached its peak, the point where the wings   
seemed nearly solid without the subtle twist he had learned was   
required to cause them to manifest physically as the sword, Tenchi   
felt Ryouko opening her gems. The flood of power doubled,   
tripled, there were no words to describe the way it surged into   
his body or the way his mind seemed to float on a sea of it. The   
wings shimmered and separated, three becoming six, and the tiny   
pinpoints of green flame in Tenchi's eyes flared like suns.  
  
Tenchi reached out to the wings and drew them back into   
himself, twisting the flow of energy to mold them into katanas of   
light.  
  
"Time to die slave," Tenchi said calmly, the emotion gone   
from his voice as he slid into Moonlit Branches, letting the   
second blade curve naturally over his head.  
  
As Tenchi rushed the being that had once been Shiko he saw   
the expression in its eyes. It was the same emotion it always   
held, the same it had worn when it told him what it had done to   
Aeka, but Tenchi saw it for what it was now. It was not hatred or   
anger, not malevolence or insanity, it was fear. Absolute and   
total terror.  
  
But Tenchi was beyond caring now, his emotions swept away in   
the flood of power so that the only one left to him was his love.   
For Ryouko, for Aeka, for all his family, for the people whom this   
thing had wanted to hurt. And for that it would die.  
  
* * *  
  
Aeka knelt in the drying pool of blood and, hesitantly,   
touched the  
battered face of the man from whom it issued. Somehow she knew it   
was the being who had hurt her, the creature who had enslaved   
Shiko's body and nearly killed Tenchi. Aeka could not say how she   
knew that, for it looked nothing like Shiko or the horrible   
atrocity in the forest now, but she knew. Knew it as surely as   
she had known the way across the vast complex Tokimi inhabited and   
known how to trigger the bridge which brought her here.  
  
And, too, she knew that there was life left in the corpse.   
Tenchi would not have know, she knew, if he had he would have   
continued until that spark was gone. Aeka did not see Tenchi's   
fight with the creature, as brief as it was, and did not see him   
hacking its body nearly to pieces before leaving it, apparently   
dead, on the ground. But like the other things, Aeka knew it had   
happened. And now she knew how to bring that spark of life out of   
the depths and awake the being she had longed to destroy. Aeka   
assumed it was a gift from Tsunami, she could find no other   
explanation for the knowledge she held. The goddess must have   
known her purpose here and given her the knowledge to complete it.  
  
"Awaken servant," Aeka said softly, "Rise and wake, I wish to   
speak with you."  
  
The thing's eyes fluttered open and it gasped in pain.  
  
"What are you?" Aeka asked, her question a command.  
  
"I.." She could see the struggle in its features, though   
whether it fought to avoid answering her question, over how to   
answer it, or over whether it knew the answer at all, she could   
not tell.  
  
"You are not my brother," Aeka said quietly, "I came here   
thinking that you were, that you were, somehow, my brother   
Namaeto, twisted by what Azusa did to him, but you are not."  
  
"No," it said, its voice that same horrible stone-on-steel it   
had always been.  
  
"You are not Shiko," Aeka continued, "You are no more   
Tenchi's cousin than you are my brother."  
  
"No," it said again.  
  
"You are not my father, though you used his words when you   
beat me. You are not my lover, though you tried to take the role.   
You are not even Tenchi's enemy, are you?"  
  
"I.. I hate Masaki. Masaki was weak, he took father's   
beatings when I stood up to him... Masaki pushed you away when you   
tried to love him, Masaki doubted me though I had changed from my   
old ways..."  
  
"You don't even know what you are, do you?" Aeka asked, her   
voice touched by distant compassion, "You hate an image that isn't   
even Tenchi, it's some kind of blending of all the pain and anger   
of all the people you have pretended to be."  
  
"I.." its voice failed again, overcome by confusion.  
  
"You hate lies because your entire existence is a lie," Aeka   
said, the words coming atop the realization, "You do not even know   
what you are, you only know the fear of the darkness that is your   
home."  
  
"I.. I am.. I am Tokimi's servant."  
  
"Yes," Aeka said gently, closing its eyelids, "And your   
mistress needs you no longer."  
  
* * *  
  
The minds of gods are not the minds of men. The thoughts of   
a goddess span aeons and, at the same time, take less time than   
the orbit of an electron about its nucleus. When gods speak to   
one another it is in the wind of the stars and the breath of the   
atoms, their smiles are in the curve of a comet across a night sky   
and their laughter is in the babbling of brooks in the mountains.   
The words of the gods are not meant for the minds of mortal men   
and are spoken in tongues which no man could hope to learn in a   
million lifetimes, in languages old before the stars were born.  
  
But if gods were to speak in mortal terms, if they were to   
gather together as humans would and speak to one another in a   
human tongue, if they were to do such a thing then the   
conversation of Tsunami and Tokimi may have been this way.   
  
  
They stood together in a place beyond time, a void of   
unmeasured space that was at once beyond the universe and, at the   
same time, Was the universe. How long they stood together cannot   
be said, for there is no time in that place. Their words came in   
sequence for it was convenient that they did, not because it was   
important that this word came after that. They could each, when   
they wished, know all that had occurred since the beginning and   
all that would occur until the end. Almost. All things have   
limits, and even the minds of the gods are not all reaching.  
  
"You are my equal, sister." Tokimi's voice had the ring of   
tradition when she spoke.  
  
"I am your equal," Tsunami answered. They did not bow,   
though many might think it would have been appropriate. Gods do   
not bow, even to one another.  
  
"My time fast approaches," Tokimi observed.  
  
"There is no time here," Tsunami answered, though Tokimi's   
meaning was clear.  
  
"I fear what will occur."  
  
"You? You fear change my sister?"  
  
"Yes," Tokimi sighed, "It is cruel that I should fear that   
which I am, but I fear it none the less."  
  
"It will be her, then?"  
  
"You would know as well as I."  
  
"There are others who could fill the role."  
  
"That one has suffered," Tokimi said, her eyes looking inward   
at the stretch of time.  
  
"Then it will be her?"  
  
"And our sister," Tokimi asked, ignoring the question, "She   
remains Other?"  
  
"That you speak of her so is answer enough, is it not?"  
  
"Yes," Tokimi sighed, looking to the distant shadows cast by   
a figure who was not there, "Yes, it is."  
  
"Her time will arrive. All times do, it is their nature."  
  
"I miss her, sister," there was infinite sadness in Tokimi's   
voice.  
  
"I also," Tsunami answered with equal emotion, "But we will   
be together once more."  
  
"The time comes that we will walk the worlds again," Tokimi   
observed, "It   
as been so long, I do not know that I look forward to it."  
  
"Our wishes are immaterial, sister," Tsunami reminded Tokimi,   
"We are our own pawns in this game and our moves were made before   
the Beginning."  
  
Tokimi sighed in answer and looked out across the expanse   
that was, at once, all things and no things.  
  
"Do you remember," Tokimi asked, "Do you remember the   
Beginning?"  
  
"I remember all things, when I choose."  
  
"Do you remember the song," Tokimi continued, ignoring her   
sister's barb, "The song we sang when the stars were new? Do you   
remember it now?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Sing with me, my sister? Sing with me and let me remember   
the time when the universe was young and we had all creation   
before us?"  
  
"We have it still, sister."  
  
"But we were together, then."  
  
"We will be again," Tsunami said gently, raising her voice in   
song.  
  
They sang then, together, and their voices were the breath of   
the stars and the wind that blows in the space between atoms.   
Their chorus was the life and the death of the universe and their   
backbeat the pulse of galaxies. There were no words in the song,   
though its meaning held all of creation. When they came to the   
third verse they stopped, and they listened to the silence of the   
universe while their sister would have sung her part, were she   
there.  
  
When the time of song was done Tsunami left that place, once   
more busy amongst the worlds. Tokimi had no such tasks, her   
duties never ceased for she embodied them entirely. She was   
change, and change was Tokimi. All things which change, from the   
tiniest leaf to the greatest galactic cluster, all things which   
move and shift and alter their form, all those things were Tokimi.   
It was cruel, she reflected, that she should fear her coming   
change, but the fear remained anyway. In as much as a god can   
feel fear.  
  
Tokimi sang again, then, repeating her own verse of the great   
song alone in that place beyond time. She had been alone for a   
very long time indeed and its sting was numbed by familiarity.   
Tokimi sang and the stars danced, the universe rolled on and the   
quarks spun. Tokimi's song was the force driving the clockwork of   
all creation and she sang sadly alone, there in the place without   
time.  
  
* * *  
  
There is a story, we are told, of the first man  
to see the stars from aboard a ship-tree. It was in   
the old times, when the old tongue was spoken by man   
and there were those who remembered the voices of times  
past. In those times Tsunami was young and her tree  
shone with newness. Her children spread slowly across  
the world and our bonds with them grew. One man fell  
in love with a tree, and the tree in love with him  
in return, and their children are our ancestors. That  
man was the first to see the stars from beyond the  
skies, the first to dance the dance of love with the  
trees and the first to be granted their boon. It is  
said that when his love took him beyond the world in  
her embrace he was frightened, that the depths of  
space were more than he could bear and that he wept  
for the loneliness of what he saw. But then his beloved  
spread her wings and he saw the beauty of it, he  
soared with her across the sea of suns and his heart  
was light with joy. It is said that they sang a song  
then, together in the void between worlds. It is that  
song we sing now, when we feel alone and as if there is  
nothing in the universe to bring joy to our hearts. We  
sing their song and it reminds us of our heritage, of  
the love that he shared with the tree and of the  
love we share with them now. Their words were in the  
voices of times past, but we remember their meaning  
still, and we sing.  
  
The depths are deeply black,  
and the stars give little warmth.  
All things are gone and darkened  
now, beyond my feeble grasp.  
I see the error of my thoughts,  
in thinking all was simple.  
The universe is great and vast,  
more than one heart can bear.  
But in her arms I soar the winds  
of the distant suns.  
In her heart I find myself and  
I fly with her now.  
The depths are deeply black,  
and the stars give little warmth.  
But in my love I find myself and  
on pale wings I fly.  
  
-- Jurain traditional,  
lessons of the Second Change.  
  



End file.
